When should you get a mammogram?

Mammograms should be taken every 2 years in women ages 50 to 74, while women age 50 and younger should ask their doctors when they should begin having mammograms regularly, notes Womenshealth.gov. In addition, if a woman feels a lump or mass in the breast at any age, she should get a mammogram.

Mammograms allow women to find breast cancer in its beginning stages, which greatly improves their chances for successful treatment and survival, notes Womenshealth.gov. To take a mammogram, the patient stands in front of a special machine, placing her breasts, one at a time, between two plates. The machine takes an X-ray of the breast, and showcases any issues for easier detection.