Breast Health Prevention: Everything You Need to Know

Breast prevention isn’t based solely on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The most effective tool is early diagnosis: only with regular screenings, advanced imaging technologies, and highly qualified specialists who guide you step by step is it possible to detect very small lesions and intervene promptly—significantly increasing the chances of recovery and long-term wellbeing.

We discuss this with Prof. Chiara Pistolese, Associate Professor at the University of Tor Vergata and breast radiologist at the clinic, within the ArsBioDonna program.

Is a healthy lifestyle enough to prevent breast cancer?

A healthy lifestyle is certainly important for reducing the risk of disease in general; however, it is not enough on its own. Although risk factors play a significant role in breast cancer, the majority of lesions actually occur sporadically, without any specific cause.

For this reason, the only true prevention is early detection—diagnostic imaging that allows us to identify extremely small lesions, with a major impact on treatment, prognosis, cure rates, and long-term survival.

When should prevention begin, and how does it change throughout a woman’s life?

Screening typically begins at age 40 with both a mammogram and a breast ultrasound, although recommendations may vary depending on each woman’s personal and family history.

For women under 40, ultrasound is usually the most appropriate examination. From age 40 onward, mammography becomes the gold-standard test, always paired with complementary breast ultrasound. These exams should be performed every year, together with a clinical breast exam.

It’s important to remember that the age group with the highest likelihood of developing breast cancer is generally above 50—particularly between 65 and 75. However, we are seeing a rising incidence even in women under 50, including younger women.

Continuous and prolonged exposure to estrogen—for example, due to late menopause or hormone replacement therapy—can increase breast cancer risk. Additional risk factors include BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations and a significant family history of breast cancer.

How important are advanced equipment and a dedicated team in women’s health?

They are absolutely essential. Thanks to technological advancements, we now have imaging systems capable of producing extremely high-quality images that allow us to detect even the smallest lesions.

Equally important is having a dedicated, highly specialized team—both technical and medical—who can perform and interpret the exam with precision, and immediately investigate or clarify any suspicious findings.

Professor, what are the most common questions patients ask?

The most frequent questions concern the difference between mammography and ultrasound, and whether one can replace the other. In reality, they are complementary tests, and each enhances the diagnostic accuracy of the other.

Mammography—recommended from age 40—allows us to detect lesions not visible on ultrasound, such as microcalcifications. It also guides the subsequent ultrasound examination, helping clarify suspicious findings and rule out lesions that may hide in dense, glandular breast tissue.

Another common question concerns the timing of the exams: is it better to have a mammogram and then an ultrasound six months later “for extra safety”?

This is a widespread misconception. Ultrasound enhances the diagnostic power of mammography, which is why they must be performed together, not months apart.