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A significant number of breast cancer survivors stop getting annual mammograms, a US study has found.

During the five-year study period, only one in three women in this high-risk population had received regular annual mammograms.

University of Massachusetts researchers reviewed mammography use in 797 women over the age of 55 who had been treated for breast cancer.

The researchers found that in the first year after treatment, 80 per cent of women had received a screening mammogram.

At the fifth year of follow-up, only 63 per cent had received a mammogram that year, and only 33 per cent had received a mammogram each year over the five years.

The study also found that older women, particularly those with other medical conditions, and those with late-stage tumors were significantly less likely to have a mammogram.

"The study indicates regular mammography for breast cancer survivors declines steadily within five years of treatment," said lead researcher Chyke Doubeni.

"Efforts are needed to increase awareness among healthcare providers and breast cancer survivors on the value of follow-up mammography."

The study findings are published in the Cancer, a medical journal published by the American Cancer Society.

There are more than 2.3 million women in the US who have been treated for breast cancer.