• Posted September 24, 2025

Mammograms May Still Save Lives for Women in Their 80s, Study Finds

Though most guidelines recommend mammograms up to age 74, new research suggests they can be valuable for women in their 80s, detecting breast cancer earlier and increasing chances of survival.

The research — published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology — reviewed medical records of 174 women aged 80 and older treated for breast cancer at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) between 2013 and 2020. 

Those who had mammograms within two years of their diagnosis were far more likely to have an early-stage cancer and their outcomes were better. Those who weren’t screened regularly were more often diagnosed with larger or more advanced tumors.

"Screening is especially important in this era of de-escalation because early detection allows us to safely reduce the intensity of treatment while still achieving excellent outcomes," study author Dr. Nimmi Kapoor, an associate professor of surgery at UCLA, said in a news release.

The women were followed for a median 55 months. Median means half were followed longer, half for a shorter time.

During the follow-up, older women who had mammograms had a 55% lower risk of cancer returning, the research showed. 

They also had a 74% lower risk of death compared to women who did not have recent screening.

"We were surprised to see such a significant survival difference among these women in their 80s," Kapoor said.

Screened women also were more likely to undergo surgery to remove their tumor, while some unscreened patients skipped surgery altogether.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in older women, according to the American Cancer Society, yet guidelines on when to stop mammograms are unclear. Most recommend screening until age 74, leaving women 75 and older without any clear direction.

Kapoor said the results suggest age alone shouldn’t rule out mammograms.

"Our findings underscore the importance of encouraging breast cancer screening in elderly patients, regardless of age, unless they have more pressing health issues," she said.

The researchers caution that the study only looked at women already diagnosed with breast cancer and larger studies are needed. They also note that mammograms can sometimes lead to over-diagnosis or unnecessary stress.

Still, the findings offer evidence that regular screening could help many women in their 80s detect breast cancer earlier and live longer.

More information

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation has more on breast cancer in the elderly.

SOURCE: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences, news release, Sept. 22, 2025