medical
When I was diagnosed in 2004 with advanced-stage 3c breast cancer ( a quarter size invasive tumor with 13 metastasized lymph nodes ) within weeks of a normal mammogram , I was puzzled . I questioned my physicians about how my cancer could be so advanced in light of my decade of faithful yearly screenings and “ normal ” mammography reports . This was the first time I was informed that my “ dense breast tissue ” limited the ability of my mammograms to find my cancer .
What is dense breast tissue ?
Dense breast tissue consists of connective and glandular tissue which appears white on a mammogram . Cancer also appears white on a mammogram – thus there is no contrast to “ see ” the cancer . As a woman ’ s density increases , the sensitivity of the mammogram decreases . Fatty breast tissue appears dark on a mammogram ; thus cancer can be readily viewed and mammography is very effective . Radiologists use a 4 point scale ( BIRADS ) from fatty to dense to assess a woman ’ s breast tissue composition after viewing a woman ’ s mammogram . The medical community considers a BIRADS 3 or 4 as being dense . This density assessment is usually communicated to a woman ’ s referring doctor in a report that is SELDOM shared with her . Most patient reports of the results of a mammogram ‘ The Happy Gram ’ do not contain information about a woman ’ s breast tissue composition .
Shocked that my dense breast tissue got in the way of an early diagnosis , ( after all , isn ’ t
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THE PINK PAPER Summer 2013