NEW YORK — Under new FDA regulationsAll mammography facilities must notify women of their breast density.
Until now, this crucial piece of information hasn’t needed to be shared with women, and it could potentially be a lifesaver.
What is breast density?
Breast density refers to the amount of fibrous and glandular tissue in a woman’s breast compared to fatty tissue. The size of a woman’s breasts does not determine density, but age does: approximately 50% of women in their 40s have dense breasts, with percentages decreasing with age.
“The only way you can determine that is through radiology. So make sure you have a mammogram so you know if you have dense breasts or not,” says Lorraine Frazier, dean of the Columbia University School of Nursing. .
“If I have dense breast tissue, am I more susceptible to cancer?” asked Kristine Johnson of CBS News New York.
“The answer is, yes, probably, and we don’t know why, but there is an increased risk of cancer,” Frazier said.
“How important is it for a woman to know whether or not she has dense breast tissue?” Johnson asked.
“Very important. It’s a gift. I really think these new regulations are a gift to all of us,” Frazier said.
There are density levels that will be reported as part of this new regulation: A, B, C and D. Women with C and D are the likely candidates for additional testing.
AI and 3D screening, which are now much more common in mammograms, will also help with hard-to-diagnose cancers, but the most important thing is to get a mammogram.
Dense breast tissue hid cancer on mammography, Dean says
“I’ve never skipped a mammogram,” Frazier said. “Every year I was told I was cancer-free, and that wasn’t always the case.”
It was after a screening in 2022 that Frazier received additional news: She had dense breast tissue.
“And did that camouflage your cancer?” Johnson asked.
“Yes,” Frazier said.
Even though everything was clear on her mammogram and there was no family history, she still felt like something was wrong.
“What did you feel?” Johnson asked.
‘A thickness. A thickness in my chest,” Frazier said.
An MRI eventually discovered her cancer. She was told it was growing slowly and had probably been there for years.
“When you see a mammogram and your breasts are dense, they’re all white, you know. And the problem is that breast cancer also shows up white,” Frazier said.
“So it’s camouflage?” Johnson asked.
“Yes, it absolutely is,” Frazier said.
She was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, with a nurse and teacher becoming the patient.
“Most of the time for breast cancer you come out the other side”
Frazier underwent a double mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiation.
“What was the hardest part of your journey?” Johnson asked.
“Understanding that this is not the end of the road. I know that sounds really strange,” Frazier said.
“Even for a medical professional?” Johnson said.
“Even for a medical professional. You know, you hear the word cancer, and you think that’s it, right? And you see the world in a different way,” Frazier said.
“Has it changed your perspective, like Dean?” Johnson asked.
“Yes… How do we learn to make that journey better for those patients? And that means touching someone’s hand, right? I mean, that’s nothing, but when you’re getting chemotherapy and I touch your hand and say, ‘ Kristine, I know this is your first time and you know what, we will get through this together,” Frazier said.
She added: “Most of the time for breast cancer, you come out the other side. You need to hear that, and you need to see that.”
Kristine Johnson
