10 VITALITY Spring 2022 You just got the results of your latest mammogram, and you don’t have cancer. That’s great news! However, the report says you have dense breasts. What does that mean? Here are some answers to questions about dense breasts. Q: What are dense breasts? A: Your breasts are made of lobules, ducts, and fatty and fibrous connective tissue. The lobules (or glandular tissue) produce milk, and ducts are the tiny tubes that carry milk from the lobules to the nipples. The fatty and fibrous tissue gives breasts their size and shape. If you have dense breasts, you have a lot of glandular or fibrous tissue and not much fatty tissue. About half of women over 40 years old have dense breasts. Generally, your breasts become less dense as you get older. However, that’s not always the case. The only way to know if you have dense breasts is to get a mammogram. Dense breasts don’t feel different from breasts with more fatty tissue. There are four categories for dense breasts, from slightly dense to very dense. The radiologist who reads your mammogram decides which of those four categories best describes the density of your breasts. Some states require health care providers to tell people whether they have dense breasts. Q: What are possible risks with dense breasts? A: Dense breasts do increase the risk of breast cancer. The reason for this is still not known. But the denser your breasts, the greater your risk for breast cancer. Dense breasts can make it more difficult for radiologists to see cancer on a mammogram. That’s because both dense tissue and breast masses and tumors appear as white areas on a mammogram. “Ladies need to get a screening mammogram every year starting at age 40 no matter your tissue density and to get a clinical breast exam every year,” says Jana Horner, M.D., with CMH Breast Care Center in Bolivar. “Those two things go further to finding new breast cancers than any other tests studied and is what will lead to early detection of cancer.” Q: How do dense breasts affect screening recommendations? A: “If you have dense breasts, that doesn’t necessarily mean you will need other screening tests for breast cancer in addition to mammograms,” says Dr. Horner. “At CMH Breast Care Center, we have state-of-the-art mammogram hardware, top-notch technologists and an excellent success rate in detecting cancers at an early stage.” As always, if you notice a change in your breasts, talk to your provider as soon as possible. And remember to get regular mammograms, which are the best way to find breast cancer early and save lives. Sources: American Cancer Society; American College of Radiology; Office on Women’s Health MAMMOGRAMS CAN HELP FIND BREAST CANCER EARLY. Is it time to schedule your next screening? Give us a call today at 417-328-6261. EXPERT IN BREAST CARE Radiologist Jana Horner, M.D., is the Medical Director of the CMH Breast Care Center, located in the Kerry and Synda Douglas Medical Center. She is board certified and completed a residency at the Cleveland Clinic. She is also fellowship-trained at the renowned MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. CMH Breast Care Center services » Digital mammograms (screening and diagnostic). » Breast ultrasound. » Breast aspiration. » Ultrasound-guided biopsies. » Breast localizations. » MRI breast imaging. BREAST HEALTH Learn the facts about dense breasts
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