On the Coast – Families Issue 96 I October/November 2019 | Page 6

Be dense aware With Dr Mary Ling, Central Coast Breast and General Surgeon “B reast density” is the new buzzword in breast cancer screening. Dense breasts are common and normal. It is estimated that up to 50 per cent of women in Australia between the ages of 40 and 74 have dense breasts – that’s over two million Australian women. Don’t forget to ask about your breast density at your next mammogram. What is breast density?  Breast density does not refer to the “perkiness” or “sag” of your breasts, but rather how they look on a mammogram.  Breasts are made up of fatty, fibrous and glandular tissues. Each woman has Breast cancer is often harder different amounts of to diagnose in younger women these 3 types of tissue. due to lumpier and denser Women with low breast breast tissue which makes a density have more fatty of breast cancer tissue compared to compared to cancerous lump harder to glandular and fibrous women with low feel on examination and tissue, while women with breast density. see on mammogram.  high breast density have more The reason for this glandular and fibrous tissue is not currently clear. compared to fatty tissue. It is important to keep in mind that the risk of developing breast Breasts tend to become more fatty cancer is influenced by a range of other (and less dense) as you get older, factors such as increasing age (biggest especially after menopause.  risk factor), being overweight and drinking alcohol. Why does breast density matter?  Dense breasts can mask cancer on Dense breasts is a risk factor for mammograms.  breast cancer.  Breast cancer can be more difficult to Research has shown women with dense breasts have a 4 to 5 times increased risk detect on standard 2D mammograms Did you know? (the most common screening method) in women with dense breasts. Dense tissue appears white on a mammogram, as do cancers. The white-on-white image makes cancer more difficult to detect.  If I have dense breasts, what should I do?  The best way to deal with the increased risks associated with dense breasts is not to try to reduce your breast density but talk to your doctor about a personalised screening program, which may include 3D mammogram, ultrasound or MRI. Actress Christina Applegate was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 36. Her breast cancer was found on MRI after her doctor determined that mammogram was not sufficient due to the denseness of her breasts. Applegate said”…my doctor finally said, ‘You know, I can’t see. It’s too dense in there. We need to go deeper.’ And we did, and I had cancer.”  Can you spot the dot (artificial representation of breast cancer) in the above example of dense breast on mammogram? 6 KIDZ O N T H E C OA S T Dr Mary Ling is a Breast and General Surgeon who consults at Gosford, Berkeley Vale & Woy Woy P: 02 4321 0302 E: [email protected] W: www.drmaryling.com.au Breast Cancer Surgery