Women's Health

Breast Cancer

Any woman can get breast cancer. As a woman, your chance of getting breast cancer increases as you get older. The good news is that breast cancer is very treatable. Mammography can catch the cancer in early stages. Mammograms can find breast cancer 1-1/2 to 2 years before you or your doctor can feel a lump. Every woman needs to have regular clinical breast exams done by her medical provider. Discovering breast cancer early gives you a much greater chance of complete recovery. Don’t let fear stop you from getting regular check-ups.

 What you can do about breast cancer:

• See your health care provider for a breast exam — every one to three years for women ages 20-40, every year for women 40 and older.

• Your health care provider may want you to have checkups more often, or begin them younger, if your risk of breast cancer is higher than average. If someone in your family had breast cancer, for example, you are at a higher than average risk.
• Get mammograms regularly beginning at age 40. Women ages 40-49 should have a mammogram every one to two years. Women age 50 and older should have a mammogram every year.
• See your health care provider right away if you find a lump or see other changes in your breast.

Need Help Getting Women’s Health Checkups?

Medicare provides insurance coverage for annual mammograms for eligible women to check for breast cancer.  For information on the Medicare benefit, go to the Medicare website.  

The Wisconsin Well Woman Program pays for breast and cervical cancer screening exams for eligible women. The program is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services, Division of Public Health, and is available throughout Wisconsin. To find out more about the program, go to the Wisconsin Well Woman program website

For More Information

The links provided here are external to the DHFS site.  They are listed here as an additional resource for you, not as an endorsement by DHFS.  By following the links, you will be leaving the DHFS site.

• Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation  
  The organizations provides information, resources and up-to-date research on Breast Cancer and other Women’s health issues.
• Wisconsin Cancer Information -- Data and Reports
• Cancer Information Service 
  (1-800-4-CANCER) is a program of the National Cancer Institute providing the latest, most accurate cancer information for patients, their families, the general public, and health professionals.
• NWHIC - Breast Cancer
  The National Women's Health Information Center provides information and resources about breast cancer and the most common treatment options.
• National Cancer Institute - Breast Cancer
  The U.S. National Institutes of Health web page contains various resources / topics about breast cancer.
• Cáncer -- información en español desde Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades
• PDR Family Guide to Women's Health - Breast Cancer
  This medical resource offers tips for preventing and treating breast cancer. View diagrams and learn about diagnosis.

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Last Revised: December 27, 2006