Where can I get a mammogram?
Getting a mammogram is free for people who live in Ontario. There are two ways to book a mammogram:
- Visit your family doctor or nurse practitioner to get a referral for a mammogram.
- If you have a female gender designation on your health card, you can book a mammogram yourself through the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP).
Visit your family doctor to book a mammogram
If you aren’t eligible for the Ontario Breast Screening Program, you can still get a mammogram by getting a referral from your primary healthcare provider.
If you don’t have a family doctor or nurse practitioner, call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000 TTY: 1-866-797-0007 or Healthcare Connections at 1-800-445-1822 to help you find one. To find a trans-friendly healthcare provider, visit the Rainbow Health Ontario provider directory.
To ensure that you get a good-quality mammogram, make sure that the screening site you’re visiting has been accredited by the Canadian Association of Radiologists’ Mammography Accreditation Program by visiting car.ca. Or call the Canadian Cancer Society Cancer Information Service at 1-888-939-3333.
Ontario Breast Screening Program
The Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) provides high-quality *chest cancer screening for people who are at both average and high risk for developing chest cancer. Getting a mammogram through OBSP has many advantages:
- You don’t need a referral from your family doctor or nurse practitioner. You can call your local OBSP site and book your own appointment.
- High-quality mammograms are ensured at all sites. All OBSP sites have been accredited by the Canadian Association of Radiologists.
- You get your test results within two weeks of your screening.
- You will get support to set up extra tests or referrals if your results say that you need them.
- You will get a reminder letter when it’s time for your next mammogram, usually every two years.
Eligibility for the Ontario Breast Screening Program
If you’re at average risk, you’re eligible for OBSP screening if you:
- have a female designation on your health card (This can be a barrier for trans men who have male designation on their OHIP card. If you have an “M” on your health card, you can still get a mammogram outside the OBSP.)
- are 50 years old or older
- have no acute chest symptoms
- have no personal history of chest cancer
- have no current chest implants.
The OBSP also has a high-risk screening program for people between the ages of 30 and 69 who have a referral from their physician. You may be eligible for the high-risk program if you have no acute symptoms (for example, a lump, abnormal discharge) and you fall into one or more of the following risk categories:
- you have a genetic mutation that puts you at a higher risk for chest cancer
- you have a parent, sibling or child who has a genetic mutation that puts them at a higher risk for chest cancer
- you have a family history that indicates a lifetime risk of chest cancer that is greater or equal to 25% confirmed through genetic assessment
- you have received radiation therapy to the chest before age 30 as treatment for another cancer or condition (for example, Hodgkin’s disease).
You can book a mammogram yourself by contacting an OBSP site directly. Find the nearest screening facility that meets your access needs. Or you can call their toll-free line at 1-800-668-9304 and send questions to breastscreen@cancercare.on.ca.
*A note on terminology: In the trans men sections of this website, we refer to cancer in chest tissue as cancer of the chest, and to the tissue itself as chest tissue. This is because we recognize that many trans men and people on the transmasculine spectrum do not identify as having breasts, feel ambivalent about having breasts and prefer the term “chest” on its own. Although we use this terminology where appropriate, we also recognize the fact that some trans men do have breasts.