According to a new study, women aged 80 and above who have regular mammograms dramatically reduce their risk of being diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer. However, only 20% of women within this age group obtain mammograms regularly.Chief of stufy Dr. Brian Badgwell of the University of Texas Anderson Cancer Center said in a written statement, “This study suggests that mammography benefits may have no age limit and that women should consider being screened on a regular basis, even into their 80s and possibly 90s, depending on their current health status.”

“Mammography has been shown to be an excellent means of detecting breast cancer early, when it is most likely to be cured. We found that when breast cancer was diagnosed, it was more likely to be found at an early stage when a woman had at least three mammograms in the five-year period before diagnosis,” he added.

The American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms when women reach age 40 with no upper age limit for those in good health. However, survey has shown that as women age, they are less likely to get mammograms regularly.

The study involved 12,358 women, aged 80 and older, examining mammography use throughout a five year period, before breast cancer was diagnosed. The study showed that 22% of women regularly use mammography (3 or more mammograms in 5 years), 29% were irregular users (1 to 2 mammograms in 5 years) and 49% of women did not get mammograms throughout the 5-year study.

Regular users were more likely to be diagnosed with early or “stage I” breast cancer, 94% of them were still alive after the 5-year study. Stage II to IV breast cancers were more commonly found among irregular users and nonusers.

It is estimated that about 17% of all breast cancer cases in the U.S. are found in women aged 80 and older. Badgwell and colleagues urge elderly women (even those with good health) and their respective healthcare providers to discuss the benefits of mammography.