The Tissue is the Issue 

Dense breast tissue is not abnormal, so why does it matter on a mammogram?

• Dense breast tissue shows as white/grey on a mammogram but, unfortunately, so do cancerous tumours.
• The denser the breast tissue, the harder it is to detect a cancer. In women with the densest breasts, about 40% of cancers will be “hidden” and go undetected.
• These hidden cancers may continue to grow undetected and be found when later stage and not as treatable
• In addition to hiding cancers, breast density is also a well-established risk factor for the development of breast cancer.
• Additional tests after a mammogram increase cancer detection in women with dense breasts.

In America it is now required that patients be told, after their mammogram, whether their breasts are “not dense" or "dense," and that “…other imaging tests in addition to a mammogram may help find cancers.”

In 2022 the European Society of Breast Imaging issued recommendations including, “In light of the available evidence, in women aged 50 to 70 years with extremely dense breasts, the EUSOBI now recommends offering screening breast MRI every 2 to 4 years.” “Where MRI is unavailable…ultrasound in combination with mammography may be used as an alternative.”

The evidence is in. Women with dense breasts should be offered additional screening after their mammograms. We have become aware that some UK breast radiologists are encouraging patients to lobby the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to fund these changes.

We lobby the Secretary of State for Health for Social Care to fund these changes.  

For dense breasts education, visit:  Welcome to DenseBreast-info/Europe | DenseBreast-info, Inc.