When a woman has a mammogram, the most important finding is whether there are any signs of breast cancer. The second most important finding is whether her breasts are dense. Starting in September, a new US rule requires mammography centers to inform women about their breast density — information that isn’t entirely new to some women as many states already have similar requirements. Were. Learn why breast density is important here. (Also read: Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2024: How simple lifestyle changes can reduce the risk of breast cancer ,
Are dense breasts bad?
No, dense breasts are not bad. In fact, they are completely normal. About 40% of women aged 40 and older have dense breasts. Women of all shapes and sizes can have dense breasts. This has nothing to do with breast strength. And it only makes sense in the world of breast cancer screening, said Dr. Ethan Cohen of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. With the new rule, “a lot of doctors will have a lot of questions and a lot of Googling, which is OK. But we want to make sure people don’t panic,” Cohen said.
How is breast density determined?
Doctors who review mammograms have a system for classifying breast density. There are four categories. The least dense category means that the breasts are almost all fatty tissue. The densest category means that the breasts are mostly glandular and fibrous tissue. Breasts are considered dense in two of four categories: “disproportionately dense” or “extremely dense”. The other two categories are not considered dense.
Dr. Brian Donchos of the Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center said classification can vary depending on the doctor reading the mammogram “because it is somewhat subjective.”
Why am I being told that my breasts are dense?
Two reasons: One, dense breasts make the cancer more difficult to see on an X-ray image, which is a mammogram. “Dense tissue looks white on a mammogram, and cancer also looks white on a mammogram,” said Dr. Wendy Berg of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and chief scientific advisor for DenseBreast-info.org. “It’s like trying to see a snowball in a blizzard.”
Second, women with dense breast tissue have a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer because cancer is more likely to arise in glandular and fibrous tissue. What is reassuring is that women with dense breasts are no more likely to die from breast cancer than other women.
What do I have to do?
If you discover that your breasts are dense, talk to your doctor about your family history of breast cancer and whether you should get additional testing with an ultrasound or MRI, according to Endeavor Health/NorthShore University Health System in the Chicago area. Dr. Georgia Spear said.
Researchers are studying better ways to detect cancer in women with dense breasts. So far, there is not enough evidence to warrant a widespread recommendation for additional screening. The US Preventive Services Task Force called for more research in this area when it updated its breast cancer screening recommendations earlier this year.
Do I still need a mammogram?
Yes, women with dense breasts should have regular mammograms, which is still the gold standard for early cancer detection. Age 40 is the time when mammograms should be started for average-risk women, transgender men, and non-binary people. “We don’t want to replace mammograms,” Spear said. “We want to add to this by adding a specific other test.”
Will insurance cover additional screening?
For now, it depends on your insurance, although a bill has been introduced in Congress that would require insurers to cover additional screening for women with dense breasts. Additional screening can be expensive — ranging from $250 to $1,000 out of pocket, so it’s a barrier for many women. “Every woman deserves an equal opportunity to find her cancer early when it is most easily treated,” Berg said. “That’s the last thing.”
