Fewer Women Getting Mammograms

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"If we stopped doing mammograms today, we wouldn't see an increase in the mortality rate for four or five years," Naughton said. "But survival is linked to early detection. The earlier the stage of cancer when we find it, the more likely the woman will survive."

Mammograms typically involve two low-dose X-rays of each breast. The technician taking the X-rays places each breast between two panels, pressing to get a clear picture and causing discomfort in some women.

Mammograms make it possible to detect tumors that can't be felt. The screening also can find microcalcifications, or tiny deposits of calcium, that sometimes indicate the presence of breast cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

The U.S. government recommends that women begin regular mammography screenings at age 40, receiving an examination every one to two years. Women at higher-than-average risk due to family history or other factors should talk with their doctor about whether they should begin regular screenings earlier than 40.

No studies have yet shown why the mammography rate has declined, but cancer experts have their guesses.

America's health-care system is one culprit in the eyes of Dr. Aman Buzdar, a professor of medicine and deputy chairman of the department of breast medical oncology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston.

With dozens of health insurance plans offering different benefits, women can become confused about when they need to receive a mammogram, Buzdar said.

"In the countries where the mammogram rate is high, we find there is a single payer who notifies patients that they are due for their mammogram," he said.

That leads to another possibility -- that women simply forget about undergoing the screening.

"A number of patients, it just falls off their radar," Buzdar said.

Discomfort and embarrassment also are believed to play a part, both Buzdar and Naughton said. "Physical discomfort is definitely a discouraging factor," Naughton said.

Finally, women might be avoiding the screening, because they just don't want to hear they might have cancer.

"They just don't want to hear the news, even if it's better to hear it when they can't feel anything," Buzdar said. "But detecting the disease early is in your best interest. You can successfully beat the cancer if it's detected early, versus just hoping that there's nothing there."

More information

To learn more about mammography, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.