Dense breast tissue may call for further screening tests after mammogram
By DR. KOMOROFF Universal Uclick on Sep 17, 2013, at 2:21 AM Updated on 9/17/13 at 6:00 AM
Health & Fitness
Dear Doctor K: I have hypertension. Should I be monitoring my blood pressure at home?
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Dear Doctor K: After my last mammogram, the doctor told me I have dense breasts. Does this increase my risk of cancer?
Dear Reader: Women with dense breasts have relatively less fat in their breasts. Specifically, if more than 50 percent of your breasts is made up of other breast tissue (as opposed to fat), then by definition you have "dense breasts." It's not uncommon: About 40 percent of women have dense breasts.
Women with dense breasts have a slightly increased chance of developing breast cancer - and dense breasts can make cancer harder to spot. That's because both breast tissue and tumors appear white on a mammogram.
There now is a federal law that mammogram reports should explicitly state whether a breast is "dense" or not.
The trouble is, no test can diagnose breast cancer with 100 percent accuracy. And the additional tests that I'm about to describe pick up a lot of "false positives": The result looks like there might be cancer, requiring a biopsy that shows no cancer. Additional screening tests can also be costly.
If you do decide to have further screening, here are some options to consider:
Ultrasound. In September 2012, the FDA approved a new breast ultrasound system specifically for screening dense breasts. This ultrasound scans the entire breast using high-frequency sound waves and quickly produces several images.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnets and radio waves to visualize the breasts. It would not normally be recommended just because a woman has dense breasts, because of the problem of false-positives.
Digital mammography sends X-ray images of the breast to a computer, rather than to film, making them easier to manipulate and interpret.
Talk with your doctor about your overall risk of developing breast cancer. Together, you can determine what screening tests you need and how often, and what prevention strategies you should be following.
Write Dr. K at
www.AskDoctorK.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut, Kansas City, MO 64106
Health & Fitness
Dear Doctor K: I have hypertension. Should I be monitoring my blood pressure at home?
Dear Doctor K: I often feel like I have a lump of mucus in my throat. In the morning I spit some of it up, but the sensation doesn't go away. What can I do about it?
