At what age should mammography screening begin for average-risk patients?

• A. No later than 40
• B. By age 50
• C. At age 60
• D. After age 45

Answer: (A)

Beginning screening by age 40 for average-risk patients reflects the balance of detecting cancers at a smaller, more treatable stage while avoiding unnecessary testing too early for most women. The idea is that starting by age 40 ensures cancers that develop in the ensuing years can be found earlier, which can improve outcomes. Waiting until age 50 or 60 would delay detection for many cancers that arise in the 40s and early 50s, reducing the potential mortality benefit and allowing tumors to grow larger before discovery. For average-risk individuals—without a strong family history or other high-risk factors—this earlier start is the standard approach in many exam contexts, with proper screening intervals determined by guidelines and shared decision-making.