So your doctor has told you that you have “dense breasts.” What does that means? By definition, increased mammographic density is the proportion of dense tissue visible on a mammogram. A doctor or nurse may tell you that your breast tissue feels dense and more difficult to evaluate while doing your clinical breast exam. In some ways it is a compliment because it implies you have youthful breasts. Your breasts may have a high proportion of density due to relatively high level of female hormones, commonly associated with being premenopausal or perhaps of taking hormone replacement therapy to restore estrogen lost from a hysterectomy or going through menopause.
Did you know that increased density on a mammogram has now been proven to be a new risk factor for breast cancer? Several studies have concluded this finding and it’s important for women to be aware.
So what does all this mean to you? First, if you don’t know if you have dense breasts, ask when you are getting a mammogram or are having a clinical breast exam. You can also find out by requesting a copy of the mammogram results. The radiologist who reads your mammograms each year will reference this in his/her dictation.
Second, why might this be considered a risk factor for breast cancer? Density on a mammogram looks white. Unfortunately, cancer also is white. So if a breast cancer is inside your breast it may be hard to see on a mammogram. I compare it to a polar bear (cancer) in a blizzard (your dense breast tissue). It can be very difficult to distinguish on the mammogram image.
What can you do about it?
1. Women who are considered already at risk by their doctor need closer monitoring.
2. Have a clinical breast exam performed at least annually and if felt appropriate by your doctor, perhaps even every six months.
3. Get your mammograms done at a facility that uses digital mammography rather than the traditional analog (film) mammography. Digital has been found to be better at assessing breast tissue that is dense because the image is captured electronically and the radiologist can enlarge the image easily and lighten or darken the background thus making it easier to find the polar bear if he exists. (28% more cancers have been found on digital imaging than traditional analog film.)
4. Also make sure the radiologist reading your mammogram is someone who specializes in breast imaging and is not a general radiologist.
5. If you are on HRT talk with your doctor about when you should be discontinuing it. HRT is not meant to be taken for the rest of your life. You may be contributing to your own problem of dense breast tissue by taking it.
6. Be diligent yourself in doing your monthly breast self exam. |
