Mammography News and Research

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A mammogram is a safe test used to look for any problems with a woman's breasts. The test uses a special, low-dose x-ray machine to take pictures of both breasts. The results are recorded on x-ray film or directly onto a computer for a radiologist to examine.

Mammograms allow the doctor to have a closer look for breast lumps and changes in breast tissue. They can show small lumps or growths that a doctor or woman may not be able to feel when doing a clinical breast exam. "Mammography" is the best screening tool that doctors have for finding breast cancer.

If a lump is found, your doctor may order other tests, such as ultrasound or a biopsy--a test where a small amount of tissue is taken from the lump and area around the lump. The tissue is sent to a lab to look for cancer or changes that may mean cancer is likely to develop. Breast lumps or growths can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Finding breast cancer early means that a woman has a better chance of surviving the disease. There are also more choices for treatment when breast cancer is found early.

Cancer-related DNA changes may appear in blood years before diagnosis

Researchers found that genome-wide plasma cfDNA methylation profiles collected before diagnosis contained early molecular signatures associated with future prostate and breast cancer, with prostate silencer methylation providing the stronger risk stratification. Breast enhancer signals were weaker and varied by subtype and disease stage, indicating that cfDNA methylation may have greater value for risk assessment and surveillance than as a standalone diagnostic test.

23 Sep 2026

Why might a higher BMI at 20 be linked to lower breast cancer risk later in life?

A large UK cohort study found that higher BMI at age 20 was associated with lower postmenopausal breast cancer risk, while higher BMI in later adulthood was linked to increased risk. Lower VAS percentage mammographic density appeared to explain part of the early-adulthood association, while fibroglandular volume showed a different relationship with life-course adiposity.

20 Sep 2026

Study provides a clearer picture of the extent of overdiagnosis in breast cancer screening

When women take part in breast cancer screening, they are informed that screening may detect cancers that would never have caused symptoms or problems during their lifetime. This is known as overdiagnosis.

15 Sep 2026

New AI tool predicts breast cancer risk using repeated 3D mammograms

An artificial intelligence model that analyzes women's past and recent annual 3D mammograms is more effective at predicting five-year risk of developing breast cancer than a tool that uses only the most recent, single 3D mammogram, as well as an AI model that analyzes 2D mammograms, a new study shows.

10 Sep 2026

Nine gut bacteria linked to future type 2 diabetes risk

Research identifies specific gut microbes associated with future type 2 diabetes risk, emphasizing the impact of dietary fiber on microbiome health.

9 Jul 2026

New portable ultrasound device enhances breast cancer screening accuracy

For people at high risk of developing breast cancer, yearly mammograms may not be enough to detect tumors early.

1 Jul 2026

Eating 90 g of wholegrains daily linked to lower breast cancer risk

Research indicates that long-term wholegrain intake per Nordic guidelines is associated with reduced breast cancer risk, emphasizing food type differences.

24 Jun 2026

AI image-based risk scores enable dynamic breast cancer assessment

Using artificial intelligence (AI), researchers found that image-based risk scores for breast cancer derived from screening mammograms evolve over time and differ between women who develop cancer and those who do not, opening the door to a new era of dynamic breast cancer risk assessment.

23 Jun 2026

New optical technique uses light to reveal internal contents of chicken eggs

Scientists have demonstrated a non-invasive technique that uses light to reveal the hidden contents of chicken eggs, potentially helping to curb the meat industry's practice of killing billions of male chicks at birth.

19 Jun 2026

Radiology AI systems flag breast cancer signs six years before diagnosis

Three commercially available radiology AI systems have shown the potential to flag early signs of breast cancer up to 6 years before a diagnosis, according to a study published in Radiology, the flagship journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).

9 Jun 2026

GLP-1 medications linked to lower breast cancer risk in women

A retrospective analysis of more than 110,000 women between the ages of 45 and 80 found that those who took GLP-1 medications were about 30 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than those who did not take GLP-1 medications, according to research presented today at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting (Abstract 10506) by Elizabeth McDonald, MD, PhD, a professor of Radiology in the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and a practicing breast radiologist at Penn's Abramson Cancer Center.

2 Jun 2026

Genetic testing finds breast cancer risks that standard screening models miss

Population-based pathogenic variant testing identified breast cancer susceptibility gene carriers who would often be missed by clinical risk models, even when polygenic risk scores were added. In the WISDOM Study analysis, fewer than 1% of high-penetrance variant carriers would have received the same high-risk screening recommendation using clinical plus polygenic risk alone.

1 Jun 2026

New X-ray system produces high-resolution images with less radiation

X-rays allow professionals to diagnose injuries or ailments and peer inside suitcases at the airport, along with a variety of other applications.

27 May 2026

Survey shows women are confused about when to start mammograms

A new national survey reveals many women are unsure about when to start mammogram screening for breast cancer and believe they should start later than doctors recommend.

29 Apr 2026

ACP recommends biennial mammography for women aged 50 to 74

New guidance from the American College of Physicians (ACP) says all asymptomatic, average-risk females ages 50 to 74 should receive biennial screening mammography for breast cancer.

17 Apr 2026

World Health Day 2026: WHO urges global collaboration and science for better health

The World Health Organization (WHO) today calls on people everywhere to renew their commitment to working together and supporting science as the twin engines driving better health, under the World Health Day 2026 theme: "Together for health. Stand with science."

6 Apr 2026

NCCN conference highlights advances in global cancer care strategies

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network® (NCCN®)-a non-profit alliance of leading cancer centers-brought together more than a thousand oncology professionals at the NCCN 2026 Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida, with hundreds more joining virtually.

1 Apr 2026

Transforming prostate screening into a global gold standard

Prostate cancer screening compares favourably to screening for breast cancer in identifying significant cancers, reducing mortality and avoiding unnecessary harms, says new research.

16 Mar 2026

AI model flags hidden breast cancers years before diagnosis in routine mammograms

Researchers evaluated four deep learning models using over 112,000 negative screening mammograms from the UK NHS to determine how well artificial intelligence could predict future breast cancers missed during routine screening. The MIT-developed Mirai model performed best, identifying about 27.5% of interval cancers within the top 4% of women flagged as highest risk.

9 Mar 2026

Low-field MRI could offer an alternative to existing breast cancer screening methods

Mass General Brigham's evaluation of low-field MRI performance lays potential groundwork for this technology to be a lower-cost, accessible option for breast imaging.

19 Feb 2026