Questions You May Want to Ask Your Health Care Provider – Breast Cancer Screening

Here are suggestions for questions that can help guide a conversation about breast cancer screening with your health care provider.

Questions for your health care provider

Do I have a higher-than-average risk of breast cancer? How do you know?
When should I begin getting mammograms?
How often should I get a mammogram?
What should I do to prepare for a mammogram?
Is my mammogram scheduled at an FDA-certified mammography center? (To check on your own, visit the FDA website.)
Does the radiologist specialize in mammography?

If your health care provider doesn’t perform a clinical breast exam

Would you perform a clinical breast exam today (or refer me to someone who can)?

If you’re 40-49 and your health care provider doesn’t bring up mammography

Would you please discuss the benefits and risks of mammography for me?

If you’re at higher risk of breast cancer

What screening tests do you recommend for me?
How often should I get screened?

If you have a physical disability

Which mammography center can accommodate my needs?

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding

Can I get screened now? If so, which screening tests are safe for me?

If you have breast implants

Which mammography center has experience in mammography for women with breast implants?

If you have an abnormal finding on a clinical breast exam or a mammogram

What follow-up tests will I have? Please describe these tests to me.

Questions for your mammography technologist

Before your mammogram, let your technologist know if you feel anxious or have any concerns. Tell her if you feel any discomfort during your mammogram.

How long will the mammogram take?
When will I get my results?

Learn more about talking with your health care provider.

Talking with your health care provider

Susan G. Komen®‘s Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Screening Mammograms resource may be helpful to take with you to your doctor’s appointment.

You can download and print it out, or you can save it on your computer, tablet or phone using an app such as Adobe. Plenty of space and a notes section are provided to write or type the answers to the questions.

There are other Questions to Ask Your Doctor resources on many different breast cancer topics you may wish to download.

Learn more about talking with your health care provider.

Updated 03/14/25

This content is regularly reviewed by an expert panel including researchers, practicing clinicians and patient advocates.