ARE DENSE BREASTS BAD?
And it only matters in the world of breast cancer screening, said Dr Ethan Cohen of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, United States.
Two reasons: For one, dense breasts make it more difficult to see cancer on an X-ray image, which is what a mammogram is.
Reassuringly, women with dense breasts are no more likely to die from breast cancer compared to other women.
Yes, women with dense breasts should get regular mammograms, which is still the gold standard for finding cancer early.
Finding any evidence of breast cancer is the most crucial result of a woman’s mammogram.
Whether or not she has dense breasts is the second most crucial finding.
Mammography centers are required by new international guidelines to notify women about their breast density as of early September.
Learn more about the significance of breast density.
DO DENSE BREASTS HAVE A HARM?
Dense breasts aren’t a bad thing. They are actually pretty typical. Dense breasts are present in about 40% of women over 40.
Breast density can be found in women of all sizes and shapes. Breast firmness has no bearing on it. Dr. Ethan Cohen of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, stated that it only matters in the context of breast cancer screening.
“It’s okay that there will be a lot of Google searches and a lot of questions to a lot of doctors with the new guidelines.”. Nonetheless, we want to prevent panic,” Cohen stated.
HOW IS THE DENSITY OF THE BREAST DETERMINED?
Physicians who evaluate mammograms use a system to categorize breast density.
There are four groups. The breasts in the least dense category are nearly entirely made of adipose tissue. Being in the densest category indicates that the majority of the breast tissue is glandular and fibrous.
In two of the four categories, breasts are classified as “heterogeneously dense” or “extremely dense.”. The other two classifications are regarded as non-dense.
The classification may differ based on the physician who reads the mammogram “because it’s somewhat subjective,” according to Dr. Brian Dontchos of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle.
Why am I being told that my breasts are dense?
First, dense breasts make it harder to detect cancer on X-ray images, which is what a mammogram is.
“A mammogram of dense tissue appears white, and cancer appears white as well,” stated Dr. Wendie Berg, chief scientific adviser to DenseBreast-info . org and a professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. It is comparable to attempting to spot a snowball in a blizzard. “.”.
Second, because cancers are more likely to develop in glandular and fibrous tissue, women with dense breast tissue have a slightly higher chance of getting breast cancer.
It is encouraging to know that women with dense breasts do not have a higher risk of dying from breast cancer than other women.
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?
In the Chicago area, Dr. Georgia Spear of Endeavor Health/NorthShore University Health System advised discussing with your physician your family history of breast cancer and whether you should undergo further screening with an MRI or ultrasound if you are diagnosed with dense breasts.
Researchers are looking into more effective methods for identifying cancer in women with dense breasts. There is currently insufficient data to make a general recommendation for further screening. When the US Preventive Services Task Force revised its guidelines for breast cancer screening earlier this year, it urged more study in this field.
DOES A MAMMOGRAM REMAIN NEEDED?
Indeed, routine mammograms are still the best way to detect cancer in women with dense breasts. Mammograms should begin around age 40.
“The mammogram is not something we want to replace,” Spear stated. We wish to enhance it by including a particular additional test. “.”.
Berg stated that every woman should have an equal chance to have her cancer detected early, when it can be easily treated. That’s what matters most. “”.
