fig.2 why breast density matters...contributed to my positive health outcome. in the uk, without a...
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WHY BREASTDENSITY MATTERSMOST WOMEN DON’T KNOW WHAT THEIR BREAST DENSITY STATUSIS AND DON’T UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL IMPLICATIONS OFHAVING DENSE BREASTS
My Story…
I live in France and in March 2016, just
The French breast screening programme women•can make informed decisions
after my 50th birthday, I was invited formy first ever mammogram. Theradiologist announced it was 'normal'; noabnormalities, but a decision was made tocarry out an ultrasound as there was anarea of dense tissue (dense tissue canobscure cancers). A few moments later,the ultrasound showed an area of concernthat was not seen on mammography. Thefollowing week a biopsy confirmed a small8-mm invasive cancerous tumour.
After a lumpectomy to remove the tumour,I received six weeks of radiotherapy. Mytumour was detected early. I did not needa mastectomy, reconstructive surgeryor chemotherapy.
protocol, offering additional ultrasoundscreening on dense breast tissuecontributed to my positive healthoutcome. In the UK, without a doubt, inmy case, my cancer would have been leftundetected based on existing nationalbreast screening guidelines.
Breast Density Matters UK
Two days after my operation, I formedBreast Density Matters UK, a patientadvocacy group with the aim to educatewomen about the implications ofdense breasts.
I had experienced a positive outcome inFrance and I was compelled to raiseawareness for women in the UK.Equipped with breast density information,
about their breast health, taking intoaccount family history and lifestyle, anddiscuss their options with medical expertsto decide•if further screening isappropriate (e.g., MRI if high risk, orultrasound if only dense).
Having dense breasts both increasesthe likelihood of developing cancerand of having cancer being missedby mammography
Mammography is not as effective in densebreasts. In France and Austria, based onnational screening guidelines, if a womanhas dense breast tissue (category C/D,see Fig.2), further screening isoffered; mammography is coupledwith ultrasound.
Fig.2Fig.1
Fatty
A
ByCheryl Cruwys
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More information visit:www.densebreast-info.orgIn the United States of America, 37 stateshave now passed legislation. Following amammogram, women receive some levelof notification about breast density and itsassociated risks.
What is Dense Breast Tissue?
All breasts contain glands, fibrous tissue,and fat. Dense tissue is made of glandsand fibrous tissue. Dense breasts arenormal but have relatively moreglandular/fibrous tissue than fatty breasts.
As seen in Fig.1, dense breast tissueappears white as does a canceroustumour; it is like looking for a ball ofcotton in a snowstorm; the denser thetissue, the whiter the mammogram. Thismatters because as density increases,the ability of a mammogram to showcancer decreases.
DENSE BREAST FACTS1.Breast density is determined through awoman's mammogram and described asone of four categories (see figure 2 above):(A) Fatty; (B) Scattered fibroglandulardensity; (C) Heterogeneously dense; or(D) Extremely dense. Breasts which are(C) Heterogeneously dense; or (D)Extremely dense are considered "densebreasts.”
2. Dense breasts are normal. 40% ofwomen age 40 and over havedense breasts.
3. Although normal, dense breast tissueis a risk factor for developing breastcancer and the denser the breast, thegreater the risk.
4. Mammography remains the standardscreening test for breast cancer and isproven to reduce deaths due to breastcancer. However, in dense breasts,cancers can be hidden onmammography and may goundetected until they are larger andmore likely to have spread.
5. Other screening tests, such asultrasound or MRI, when added tomammography, substantially increasethe detection of early stage breastcancer in women with dense breasts.
(c) 2015-2019, DenseBreast-info.org
Copyright DenseBreast-info.org and Wendie Berg, MD, PhD
Cheryl is theFounder
of Breast DensityMatters UK. Theirmission is to raise
awareness andeducate about the
implications of densebreast tissue.
Cheryl is also theEuropean Education
Coordinator for DenseBreast-infoand a member of the Patient
Advisory Groupof the European Society
of Radiology
Change.org: https://bit.ly/2SnlSJO
“NHS England to recognize the need &provide Breast Density Educationfor women.”
We regularly meet with MPs atWestminster and breast density is now atopic of discussion in cancer debates inthe House of Commons.
breastdensitymattersuk
@Cheryl_Cruwys
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Scatteredfibroglandular
density
Heterogeneouslydense
Extremely dense