Additional Cancer Screening Embraced by Women With Dense Breasts

Recent survey of women showed 76% were unaware of their breast density

Despite the possibility of false positives, invasive procedures, and out-of-pocket costs, many women undergoing routine screening mammography would be interested in pursuing further screening tests if told they had dense breast tissue, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

Recently, researchers have determined that dense breast tissue is a strong independent risk factor for breast cancer. “Our study highlights the need for patient education regarding breast density,” said Jafi Lipson, MD, assistant professor of radiology at Stanford University School of Medicine in Stanford, California.

For the study, 105 women undergoing routine screening mammography at an outpatient radiology clinic were surveyed by Dr Lipson and Haatal B. Dave, MD, MS, resident physician at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. First, the women were asked if they knew their breast density. Then they were informed about the connection between higher breast density and increased risk of breast cancer. Finally, the women were asked a set of questions regarding their interest in additional screening tests (ie, automated whole-breast ultrasound or contrast-enhanced mammography) if it was determined they had dense breasts.

Of the 105 women surveyed, 76% were unaware of their breast density, and 42% of the women had dense or extremely dense breast tissue. There was an interest in additional screening among a majority of the women surveyed, despite the chance of increased false positives, invasive biopsy procedures, and potential out-of-pocket expense.

Dave noted that many states do not require insurance companies to cover the cost for supplemental tests due to the lack of evidence of their mortality benefit. Only 2 states (Connecticut and New York) require health insurance companies to cover the cost of supplemental screening exams for women with dense breast tissue.

Currently, bills have passed in 5 states (Connecticut, New York, Texas, California, and Virginia) that require radiologists to inform women of their breast density if they are found to have dense breast tissue. More than 10 other states have legislation pending, and a similar bill was introduced on a national level in 2011.

“We hope this study raises awareness that dense breast tissue is a risk factor for breast cancer and that alternative technologies, including automated whole-breast ultrasound and contrast-enhanced mammography, are available to aid in screening women with dense breasts,” said Dave.

Source: RSNA.