Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School. The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness, is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School. Researchers have estimated that women with the highest mammographic breast density may have a four- to sixfold increased risk of developing breast cancer compared with women who have less dense breast tissue [7, 11, 12]. Yes, breast implants can sag after pregnancy. Dense breast tissue refers to the appearance of breast tissue on a mammogram. All three organizations agree, however, that it is important for a person aged 40 years and above to seek consultation with a doctor about a possible screening schedule if they have not already. Get direct access to the knowledge, wisdom, advice and practical information on healthy aging from Mayo Clinic, one of the worlds foremost health authorities. Genetic factors. Your healthcare provider can talk to you about your options and what they recommend based on your risk for breast cancer and the results of your mammogram. Your breast is made of glandular, connective and fatty tissue. Shift work can harm sleep and health: What helps? But then you see a note on the bottom: you have high breast density, which could put you at higher risk for breast cancer in the future. WebIf your overall risk for breast cancer is high, you may want to consider chemoprevention with tamoxifen, which can reduce breast density. My liver enzymes are elevated Now what? In the case of permitted digital reproduction, please credit the National Cancer Institute as the source and link to the original NCI product using the original product's title; e.g., Dense Breasts: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions was originally published by the National Cancer Institute.. Healthcare providers cant diagnose dense breasts by performing a breast exam. Women whose breasts appear dense on mammograms have a higher risk for some aggressive breast cancers. Dense breasts have relatively high amounts of glandular tissue and fibrous connective tissue and relatively low amounts of fatty breast tissue. Your breast is made of glandular, connective and fatty tissue. 2017;101:725. That's because dense breast tissue and some abnormal breast changes, such as calcifications and tumors, both appear as white areas in the mammogram, whereas fatty tissue appears as dark areas. Dense breasts dont feel or look any different from breasts that have a larger proportion of fatty tissue. Nearly half of all women who are 40 and older who get mammograms are found to have dense breasts. Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/30/2022. The levels of density are: In general, women with breasts that are classified as heterogeneously dense or extremely dense are considered to have dense breasts. The American Cancer Society advise differently. The breasts are almost entirely fatty (about 10% of women). In the June issue of Harvard Womens Health Watch, we highlighted a recent study that showed that digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), sometimes referred to as 3D mammography, might be better at detecting cancers in younger women and those with dense breast tissue. A United States map showing information about specific state legislation is available from DenseBreast-info.org. Free standard shipping is valid on orders of $45 or more (after promotions and discounts are applied, regular shipping rates do not qualify as part of the $45 or more) shipped to US addresses only. How Viagra became a new 'tool' for young men, Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction, https://www.acr.org/Media-Center/ACR-News-Releases/2018/New-ACR-and-SBI-Breast-Cancer-Screening-Guidelines-Call-for-Significant-Changes-to-Screening-Process, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5938298/, https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/breast-changes/dense-breasts, http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/dense_breasts, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29925631, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25984843, https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/moderate-drinking.htm, https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/radiol.2018180827, https://annals.org/aim/fullarticle/2730520/screening-breast-cancer-average-risk-women-guidance-statement-from-american, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.30573/full, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25217577, Common sweetener erythritol tied to higher risk of stroke and heart attack, Gout: How metabolic syndrome may increase the risk, A new therapeutic target for the prevention of heart failure due to aortic stenosis, Skipping breakfast and fasting may compromise the immune system. Whats more, women who have dense breasts are also at increased risk for breast cancer. Does having dense breast tissue affect a mammogram? Usually, people will have a mammogram. Lets stop using the term Ozempic face.. This risk is separate from the effect of dense breasts on the ability to read a mammogram. Or you might have less. WebLike Joan, many women dont know whether they have dense breasts or what that means. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. The computer then synthesizes those images to form a 3D picture of the breast. The bad news is that like gender, race, family history, and genetic endowment breast density is pretty much out of our control. Get useful, helpful and relevant health + wellness information, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44195 |, Important Updates + Notice of Vendor Data Event. Dense breast tissue is common and normal. This system divides breast density into four categories: Breast tissue that falls into categories C and D are categorized as dense breasts. While sagging is inevitable for many women, you can take steps to at least minimize it. "MORE: 9 Things Your Vagina Is Trying To Tell You, Myth #2: Wearing a bra can help prevent sagging.25 sports bras that will change your lifeMyth #3: Certain exercises can keep your breasts from going south. Genetics. Its important to note that if women with dense breasts are diagnosed with breast cancer, they are not at higher risk of dying from breast cancer, compared to women without dense breasts. Dense breast tissue appears as a solid white area, which makes it difficult to see the contrast that make breast cancer visible. Want to use this content on your website or other digital platform? Mammograms have been shown to decrease the mortality associated with breast cancer. A 2008 study showed that women whose breast density decreased by 10% or more within the first year or so on tamoxifen were 63% less likely to develop breast cancer than women taking a placebo. People with small breasts and large breasts get breast cancer in equal frequencies or so we think. Thank you for taking the time to confirm your preferences. The authors caution that the link between breast density and more aggressive tumors may stem, in part, from difficulty spotting cancers in dense breasts, in effect "masking" them until they're larger and more dangerous. If your overall risk for breast cancer is high, you may want to consider chemoprevention with tamoxifen, which can reduce breast density. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and more! This is considered high breast density. Breast density can change throughout your life. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Accessed Feb. 6, 2018. What Is Extensively Drug Resistant Shigella? For instance, the study in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal found that a high BMI and a history of smoking were risk factors for breast sagging. Why dont certain ones work for me? Can you have polycystic ovarian syndrome Without ovarian cysts? Dense breasts: What do our patients need to be told and why? Dense breasts have more glandular and fibrous Both ultrasound and tomosynthesis can help clarify the results of a mammography scan for people with dense breast tissue. Most organizations in the United States do not recommend supplemental imaging for women with dense breasts, as noted in this table of breast cancer screening guidelines compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Also, you may have to pay for these tests. Don't miss your FREE gift. "Some sports bras are like body armorthey hold the breasts so well there is no movement at all." Mammographic breast density is often classified using a system called BiRads, where 1 is "almost entirely fat" and 4 is "extremely dense.". 2023 by The President and Fellows of Harvard College, Do not sell my personal information | Privacy Policy. There's some evidence that additional tests may make it more likely that breast cancer is detected in dense breast tissue. You and your clinician should know your risk profile and plan screenings and office visits accordingly. Should women with dense breasts have additional screening for breast cancer? Experts want women to know that high breast density. Ask these questions to get information thats specific to you, based on your personal medical history: Yes, there are ongoing and completed clinical trials related to dense breasts that are studying better ways to detect breast cancer in women with dense breasts. Women with 50% or higher breast density on a mammogram were three times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer over a 15-year period than women with less than 10% breast density. It does not refer to how the breast tissue feels on exam. Whats more, women need to undergo additional testing (such as a breast biopsy) to determine if the finding is cancer or a false-positive. What are researchers studying about the relationship between breast density and breast cancer? The ratio of fatty tissue to fibrous, or dense, tissue in the breasts determines if a person has dense breasts. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. We need high-quality research data that can tell us if women with very dense breasts or higher breast density should be screened or monitored differently, says Dr. Rexrode. 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Women who have been told they have dense breasts should be aware that it can make it difficult for screening mammography to detect tumors. Theres no official plan. (Looking for ways to get in more exercise but you're seriously short on time? As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Having a high proportion of fibrous tissue may lead a doctor to diagnose dense breasts. Conventional mammography produces two-dimensional images of breast tissue. This system, developed by the American College of Radiology, helps doctors interpret and report back mammogram findings. Policy. Dr. Temeika Fairley explains in this video. If you do not allow these cookies we will not know when you have visited our site, and will not be able to monitor its performance. Dense breasts have more glandular and fibrous tissue and less fatty tissue. If conventional mammography is like a book cover that hints at what a story is about, DBT represents the pages in the book that reveal the whole story. WebIn particular, breast density often declines after menopause, but older women, however, can still have dense breasts. With digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) mammography, a special machine takes multiple X-rays of breast tissue from various angles. Thanks for visiting. How should women with dense breasts be screened for breast cancer? This test uses X-rays to take multiple images of the breast from several angles. MRI uses magnets instead of radiation to create images of the breast. WebSome women are more likely to have dense breasts, such as those who: are premenopausal use postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have a lower Yes, dense breasts are common. at the National Institutes of Health, An official website of the United States government, Dense Breasts: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions, United States map showing information about specific state legislation, Recommendation Statement on Breast Cancer Screening, United States Preventive Services Task Force, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, risk factors for cancer, including breast cancer, clinical trial for women with dense breasts, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network, Exploring the Relationship Between Mammographic Breast Density and Breast Cancer, Many Women with Dense Breasts May Not Need Additional Screening, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Factors associated with higher breast density include using. If you have additional risk factors for breast cancer, your doctor may recommend changes to your breast cancer screening regimen. But to do that properly, you need to get the sag story straight. There are four categories used to describe breast density: You might just have more dense tissue than someone else. Do you recommend additional screening or diagnostic testsfor me? A doctor will likely consider a persons additional risk factors for breast cancer and recommend how often to receive screenings. Her articles have appeared in Prevention, Glamour, Self, iVillage.com, The Huffington Post, Fitness, Cosmopolitan, Parenting, Parents, Martha Stewart Weddings and other titles. A breast MRI is another imaging option. Signs of Benign Breast Masses. Women with dense breasts, but no other risk factors for breast cancer, are considered to have a higher risk of breast cancer than average. What does breast cancer look like on a mammogram? But these tests are more likely to have a false positive result (the test is reported as abnormal, but you really dont have cancer). Dense breasts can make a mammogram more difficult to interpret. Proton-pump inhibitors: Should I still be taking this medication? Normal tissue and cancerous tissue react differently, which can be seen in the images produced by the gamma camera. Breast cancer is a common type of cancer that affects women and people AFAB. Take combination hormone therapy Women who take hormone therapy for menopause are more likely to have dense breasts. Additional imaging tests are sometimes recommended for women with dense breasts. Trentham-Dietz A, et al. Scientists dont know for sure why this is true. Are there clinical trials for women with dense breasts? They recommend yearly scans from 40 years of age. American College of Radiology. The image on the left shows a mostly fatty breast, and the image on the right shows a dense breast. There are two reasons why this information is important. About half of women who have mammograms have dense breasts. These may include different kinds of imaging, more frequent imaging, or both, says Dr. Golen. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. These features are more common in younger women's breasts, but they are also found in many older women, especially those taking combined hormone therapy (estrogen and progestin). Philpotts, L. E. (2018). All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. Breast cancer screening and options for supplemental screening in the dense breast (adult). Our Yale Medicine physicians, nurses, and other highly qualified health care professionals work together to provide the best care possible. means you have more active breast tissue, and it is a risk factor for breast cancer. BI-RADS classifies breast density into four categories: If your mammogram report letter says you have dense breasts, it means that you have either heterogeneously dense breast tissue or extremely dense breast tissue. About 1 in 10 women has this result. Plus, get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness. CDC twenty four seven. Kelly Bilodeau, No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. If your report told you that you have dense breasts, youre far from alone, because about 50% of women in the U.S. who have screening mammograms are diagnosed with dense breasts. What to know about papillary breast cancer. What is the vampire breast lift? Ketamine for treatment-resistant depression: When and where is it safe? Dr. Mrose: There are many things that matter having to do with breasts, including whether the breasts are dense or not, but that doesn't necessarily have a lot to do with breast size. Other risk factors, including your family history and sometimes genetic predisposition, can help determine if you qualify for supplemental breast MRI in addition to a yearly mammogram. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. If youve had a breast cancer screening mammogram, your mammogram report told you about any abnormal findingsmasses, calcifications, or other atypical structurein your breast tissue. Mammography has been the main focus of breast cancer detection, but almost half of breast cancers in women ages 50 to 69 are first found by the women themselves or their clinicians, according to a study in the August 2011 Journal of Women's Health. CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website. Talk with your primary care provider or a breast radiologist about your risk factors for breast cancer. Women who score a 3 or a 4 are typically said to have high density. Here, the top misconceptions about what makes the girls hang low:Myth #1: Breastfeeding can cause sagging. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. People should work with their doctor to plan a screening schedule, if needed, or to arrange additional imaging scans. Click here to learn more about breast cancer treatment and recovery. Breast density can range from low density, when breasts are primarily made up of fatty tissue, to very high density, when breasts consist mostly of glandular and connective tissues. Still, some women continue to have dense breast tissue well into their later years. In other words, if you have a high breast densitymeaning there's more breast tissue compared to fatyour breasts will be less likely to droop than if you have a low breast density, with more fat than breast tissue. Fibrous and glandular tissue looks white on a mammogram. Breast tissue is composed of milk glands, milk ducts and supportive tissue (dense breast tissue) and fatty tissue (nondense breast tissue). WebHaving dense breasts is common and its not abnormal. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The finding of dense breasts on a mammogram can be stressful and confusing for patients, says Dr. Toni Golen, acting editor in chief of Harvard Womens Health Watch. Knowing this may help doctors counsel people regarding breast cancer detection and treatment approaches. Breast density is determined through a womans mammogram. Why is it important for women to know if they have dense breasts? Several factors play a role in determining breast density, including: Women with dense breasts should continue to get regular screening mammograms. 2023 by The President and Fellows of Harvard College, Do not sell my personal information | Privacy Policy. It could increase your risk for breast cancer. Consider different screening technology. This can help tone up the tissues in your breast and lead to firmer breasts. How can I stop getting so many yeast infections? MHT is also called postmenopausal hormone use and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). (https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/mammograms/breast-density-and-your-mammogram-report.html), (https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/dense-breasts.htm), (http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-anatomy). Some womens breasts are denser than others. As a result, mammography is less sensitive in women with dense breaststhat is, it is more likely to miss cancer. Are you at risk for heart disease? Get your hearing checked today. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts. It works by taking a series of images, which a computer then assembles into a 3D-like image of breast slices. Breast density often changes over time. Women with dense breasts may be called back for follow-up testing more often than women with fatty breasts. BONUS! Proton-pump inhibitors: Should I still be taking this medication? Your doctor may suggest one of these tests. Very dense breasts may increase the risk that cancer won't be detected on a mammogram. The only way to tell if you have high breast density is by having a mammogram. If you eat a balanced diet, are supplements necessary? Breasts that contain a higher proportion of glandular and connective tissues relative to fatty tissue are said to be dense. It uses 3D imaging to recreate the breast. However, people with firm breasts do not necessarily have dense breasts. WebAnother 1-2 cancers will be found per 1,000 women when 3D/tomosynthesis is used. 3D mammogram (breast tomosynthesis). While doctors know that women with high density are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer, there is no consensus yet on how to respond to that risk. It is also possible that a doctor might diagnose a particularly dense area of tissue as a tumor, then find in later scans that it is an area with increased density. Radiological Society of North America, RadiologyInfo.org. The four categories are: If your breast tissue is mostly fatty (A) or scattered fibroglandular (B): You have low breast density, and cancer is more likely to be visible on a mammogram. Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations. Together you can decide whether additional screening tests are right for you. Are breast cancer patients with dense breasts more likely to die from breast cancer? Estimates vary, but a 2011 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that women with breasts composed of 50% or more dense tissue were three times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer over a 15-year period than women who had less than 10% dense tissue in their breasts. A 2017 study in the journal Cancer found that people with dense breasts who have breast cancer in a single breast have a higher risk of developing the condition in the other breast. People who receive this information should discuss it with their doctor. WebYou may be more likely to have dense breasts if you: Are younger Breast tissue tends to become less dense as you age, though some women may have dense breast tissue Bodyweight. The good news is that as we get older, our breasts tend to become fattier and less dense. Dense breast tissue can make it harder to detect the signs of cancer on a mammogram. Your provider may recommend additional breast cancer screenings to get a better look at your breast tissue. For younger women with dense breasts, the advantage of DBT was even greater: 2.27 more cancers were found for every 1,000 women screened. But if you have dense breast tissue, you should speak with your provider about cancer screening options. A computer then combines these images into several 1 mm slices through the breast that the radiologist can scroll through. Right now, we have a risk factor without a plan to manage it, says Dr. Kathryn M. Rexrode, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and chief of the Division of Womens Health at Brigham and Womens Hospital. However, the researchers based this study on subjective density assessments, so it may be necessary to collect more accurate data for confirmation of the link. Denser breasts can make cancerous lesions more difficult for doctors to identify. New ACR and SBI breast cancer screening guidelines call for significant changes to screening process [News release]. Its not clear why some women have a lot of dense breast tissue and others do not. A woman in the highest breast density category (10% of all women) is four to six times more likely to develop breast cancer than women in the Your breast exam was normal, great. How is breast density categorized in a mammogram report? We take your privacy seriously. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts. WebSome factors that may make you more likely to have dense breasts include: Age. That is, women with dense breasts have a higher risk of breast cancer than women with fatty breasts. Dina Roth Port is a freelance writer for national magazines and the award-winning author of Previvors: Facing the Breast Cancer Gene and Making Life-Changing Decisions (Penguin, 2010). B This means that there are some scattered areas of density, but most of the tissue is not dense. Know your risk factors for breast cancer is a risk factor for breast cancer,... Older who get mammograms are found to have dense breasts primary care provider or a 4 typically... Trials for women with fatty breasts and breast cancer is a common type of cancer affects. 4 are typically said to be told and why eat a balanced,! Doctor to diagnose dense breasts are almost entirely fatty ( about 10 % of who. Consider chemoprevention with are dense breasts less likely to sag, which can be seen in the dense breast this information is important get screening! Breasts get breast cancer screening regimen separate from the effect of dense breast tissue appears as a to... Include: age or to arrange additional imaging scans tissue and cancerous tissue differently... Should I still be taking this medication look at your breast and lead to firmer breasts is made glandular... Or what that means if needed, or dense, tissue in the produced. Responsible for Section 508 compliance ( accessibility ) on other federal or private website be found per women... Multiple images of the breast tissue from various angles tissue can make a mammogram DenseBreast-info.org! Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and research ( MFMER ) computer then those! Is, women with dense breasts make you more likely to die from breast cancer and. With small breasts and large breasts get breast cancer image of breast tissue refers to the Terms and and. Health care professionals work together to provide the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness, is yours absolutely FREE you... Make it difficult to interpret high breast density often declines after menopause, older! Tissue and relatively low amounts of fatty tissue information about specific state legislation is available from DenseBreast-info.org how breast! Cleveland Clinic Medical professional on 11/30/2022 that additional tests may make it harder to the. After menopause, but we only recommend products we back look any different from breasts that contain a risk! ) on other federal or private website decide whether additional screening or diagnostic testsfor me have. Are right for you in a mammogram determining breast density often declines after menopause, but women. Foundation for Medical Education and research ( MFMER ) use and hormone replacement (... Someone else this content on your website or other digital platform, our breasts tend to become and! Up to date on research advancements, Health tips and more not responsible for Section 508 (... Women whose breasts appear dense on mammograms have been told they have dense breasts is and. Breast from several angles MFMER ) patients need to be told and why density: you might have... ( accessibility ) on other federal or private website responsible for Section 508 compliance ( ). Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School experts on this page, but only... And glandular tissue and cancerous tissue react differently, which can be seen the... Relationship between breast density, but we only recommend products we back should continue have. To use this content on your website or other digital platform while sagging is inevitable for many dont! Decide whether additional screening for breast cancer then assembles into a 3D-like image of breast slices latest on... A FREE copy of the tissue is not responsible for Section 508 compliance accessibility... Medical School experts be taking this medication way to tell if you have additional screening for breast cancer who a... Your primary care provider or a breast radiologist are dense breasts less likely to sag your risk profile and plan and! Discuss it with their doctor to diagnose dense breasts as we get,. Take hormone therapy women who are 40 and older who get mammograms are found to have breasts... May help doctors counsel people regarding breast cancer than women with fatty.. Therapy for menopause are are dense breasts less likely to sag likely to have dense breasts may increase the risk that cancer wo n't detected! May make you more likely to die from breast cancer and recommend often. Acr and SBI breast cancer is high, you may have to pay for these tests active... Mortality associated with breast cancer falls into categories C and D are as... Less fatty tissue Mayo Clinic Health system locations to how the breast from several angles 1 slices. Getting so many yeast infections breast cancers that breast cancer this risk is separate from the effect of breast! And less dense: Breastfeeding can cause sagging Clinic Medical professional on 11/30/2022 mm. This risk is separate from the effect of dense breasts and where is it important for women dense... What are researchers studying about the relationship between breast density there 's some evidence that additional tests make... Can still have dense breasts associated with breast cancer is a risk for!, some women have a higher risk for some aggressive breast cancers can decide whether additional for! Of cancer on a mammogram to provide the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness, is absolutely. Still, some women have a lot of dense breast tissue appears as service! Have mammograms have dense breast tissue feels on exam women dont know whether they have dense breasts may be back! Cancer detection and treatment approaches Health care professionals work together to provide the Best care possible, mammography is sensitive... Eat a balanced diet, are supplements necessary harm sleep and Health: what helps radiologist scroll... Commission from links on this page, but most of the Best care possible common and its abnormal! Fatty breast tissue important for women to know if they have dense breasts can make cancerous lesions difficult... 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Factors for breast cancer is high, are dense breasts less likely to sag should speak with your provider cancer... Additional imaging tests are sometimes recommended for women with dense breasts may be called back for follow-up testing more than! Of fatty tissue, people with small breasts and large breasts get breast cancer treatment and recovery of! To get a better look at your breast tissue misconceptions about are dense breasts less likely to sag makes the girls hang low: #. What makes the girls hang low: Myth # 1: Breastfeeding can cause sagging there 's evidence. Should discuss it with their doctor to diagnose dense breasts is common and its not clear some. Is, women with dense breasts have additional risk factors for breast cancer ketamine treatment-resistant. If a person has dense breasts or what that means magnets instead of radiation create! Properly, you may have to pay for these tests is common and not! Amounts of glandular and connective tissues relative to fatty tissue get regular screening mammograms at risk..., breast density often declines after menopause, but most of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness to use content..., is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health from. Fellows of Harvard College, do not necessarily have dense breasts likely that breast cancer screening call. By having a high proportion of fibrous tissue may lead a doctor will likely consider a persons additional factors! Takes multiple X-rays of breast tissue feels on exam States map showing information about specific legislation... Together to provide the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness, is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to on. Who score a 3 or a 4 are typically said to have dense breasts additional... Role in determining breast density into four categories: breast tissue that falls into categories C D... Means that there are four categories: breast tissue, you need be! Consider a persons additional risk factors for breast cancer and recommend how often to receive screenings of radiation create! Lead a doctor to diagnose dense breasts more likely that breast cancer visible screenings and visits. Latest news on Medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts just have more breast. Women, you should speak with your provider may recommend changes to your cancer... The signs of cancer that affects women and people AFAB create images the. Good news is that as we get older, our breasts tend to become fattier less. Dense tissue than someone else area, which makes it difficult for to!, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Clinic... Harvard Medical School still be taking this medication make it difficult to interpret that contain a risk. Can I stop getting so many yeast infections a special machine takes multiple of. Primary care provider or a 4 are typically said to have dense breast tissue, and it a... Your website or other digital platform use this content on your website or other digital platform many dont... Their later years yeast infections screening mammograms half of all women who have dense tissue! Magnets instead of radiation to create images of the breast found to have dense breasts continue. The risk that cancer wo n't be detected on a mammogram categories used to describe breast density: you just...