Dense Breast Results
Advanced Women's Healthcare has received your recent mammogram results. Your
mammogram was negative, but results include the fact that you have dense breast tissue.
According to the American Cancer Society and The American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists Dense breast tissue and cancerous lumps both look white on a mammogram. This can make it harder for the radiologist to read the mammogram and identify cancers. Dense tissue can obscure an underlying lesion. Women with dense breasts have a modestly higher risk of breast cancer than women without dense breasts. The risk increases as breast density increases. Dense breasts do not increase the risk of dying from breast cancer. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) does not recommend extra screenings for women with dense breasts who do not have other risk factors. This is because research does not show that extra or different screening methods reduce breast cancer deaths in these women. Studies have shown that breast ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help find some breast cancers that can’t be seen on mammograms. However, MRI and ultrasound can both show more findings that are not cancer. This can lead to more tests and unnecessary biopsies. And the cost of ultrasound and MRI may not be covered by insurance.
We simply want you to be aware that your mammogram did reveal dense breast tissue and we can offer 1 of 4 options:
1. Get your mammogram done every year; this is the most important factor in prevention
and early detection of breast cancer. 3D mammogram is covered by most insurances for
your screening mammogram now and is even better than standard mammography, so
be sure to ask for it and ask if it is covered.
2. Go online and take the Gail Risk Model Assessment at https://www.mdcalc.com/gail-
model-breast-cancer-risk. Contact your imaging center with these results to see if you
meet requirements for additional testing.
3. Proceed with Breast MRI with contrast or breast ultrasound.
4. If you have never had a breast ultrasound or breast MRI, we recommend baseline of one of these. Insurance may or may not cover this testing. Contact your insurance for out of pocket costs with may include copays, co-insurance or deductibles.
This information was obtained from ACS and ACOG, August 2021
Please feel free to contact the office with any questions.