Breast self examination, clinical breast examination, and mammography can be used for screening of breast cancer. Breast self examination is not sensitive enough to detect a small cancer but monthly exam makes women be awakening about breast cancer and feel changes of her breast. Meta-analysis shows annual mammography reduces breast cancer mortality around 35% in the ages over 50. Some randomized clinical trials also showed mortality reduction by mammography in the ages of 40s.

Surprisingly, breast cancer is rapidly increasing in late thirties with a peak incidence in forties among Korean women. Whether the early peak makes mammography less accurate is controversial. However, data from qualified screening centers showed mammography has same sensitivity with that in westerns. Korean Breast Cancer Society and National Cancer Center organized the 1st Consensus meeting for the national guidelines for breast cancer screening on July 24, 2001. We recommend that women should have monthly self examination beginning at age 30, should receive biannual clinical breast exam from healthcare providers from age 35, and should receive clinical breast exam and mammography at 1~2-year intervals after age 40.