Have you recently received a letter from your doctor’s office about your breast density? You might be wondering what it’s all about.
Thanks to a new requirement from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), doctors must inform patients about their breast density after their annual mammogram.1 If this letter has raised some questions for you, here is some information that might help.
What does it mean to have dense breasts?
Having dense breasts increases a person’s risk of developing breast cancer, and it can also make it more challenging for radiologists to detect cancer on a traditional mammogram.2 This is because dense breast tissue appears white on a mammogram — the same color as cancer — making it difficult to identify.
Nearly 50% of women have dense breasts, making it a common breast cancer risk factor.3,4 If this information is new to you, you’re not alone. A recent study found most women were unaware that breast density increases their breast cancer risk more than family history or being overweight.5
For dense breasts, think 3D
Not only is mammography the most effective tool we have to detect breast cancer early, but it’s also used by radiologists to determine if your breasts are dense.6 When you book your annual mammogram, keep in mind that not all mammograms are created equally. Be sure to ask for the Hologic 3D™ Mammogram that’s FDA-approved as superior for women with dense breasts compared to traditional 2D mammography.7,8*
Part of the 3Dimensions™ Mammography System, the Hologic 3D™ Mammogram is more accurate than traditional 2D mammograms for women with a variety of breast densities, detecting 20%-65% more invasive breast cancers.8* That means earlier detection for many women.7-12*
Not your mom’s mammogram
Fear of pain or discomfort is one of the primary reasons women skip or delay a recommended screening.13 Thankfully, today’s mammograms are different.
The Hologic 3D™ Mammogram is clinically proven to be more comfortable thanks to its innovative SmartCurve® system, a curved compression paddle that is designed to respond to the shape of your breasts.14** Plus, scans can last as little as 3.7 seconds on the 3Dimensions™ Mammography System.15 That’s quicker than any other exam.
I have dense breasts. What’s next?
Your doctor may recommend supplemental imaging to complement your annual mammogram. These additional breast exams may include diagnostic ultrasound, breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), or contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM).
CEM is a type of mammogram that uses a special dye and X-rays to create detailed images of breast tissue. It has been available for nearly a decade but is now receiving increased attention due to growing evidence supporting its advantages.
While CEM and breast MRI are both powerful tools for detecting breast cancer, MRI can be inaccessible to many women, particularly those residing in rural areas or who suffer from claustrophobia.16,17 CEM is a comparatively more accessible, comfortable, faster, and less expensive option, making it a promising alternative for enhancing breast cancer detection.18-20
Take action for your health
Knowledge is power. By understanding your breast density, you can make informed decisions about your health. Take action today by scheduling your annual exam and asking for a 3D™ Mammogram.
To learn more, visit hologic.com/BustTheMyth
*Compared to 2D mammography alone.
** Compared to mammography systems without the SmartCurve® system.
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References
1 Center for Devices and Radiological Health. Facility resource for MQSA regulations going into effect on 9/10/2024. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/radiation-emitting-products/mammography-quality-standards-act-mqsa-and-mqsa-program/important-information-final-rule-amend-mammography-quality-standards-act-mqsa.
2 Dense breasts: Answers to commonly asked questions. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/breast-changes/dense-breasts.
3 Sprague BL, Gangnon RE, Burt V, et al. Prevalence of mammographically dense breasts in the United States. J Natl Cancer Inst. 106(10), 2014.
4 Kaminska M, Ciszewski T, et al. Breast cancer risk factors. Menopause Review Przeglad Menopauzalny. 2015; 14(3): 196–202. doi: 10.5114/pm.2015.54346.
5 Beidler LB, Kressin NR, Wormwood JB, Battaglia TA, Slanetz PJ, Gunn CM. Perceptions of Breast Cancer Risks Among Women Receiving Mammograph Screening. JAMA Netw Open. 2023;6(1):e2252209. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.522094.
6 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Screening for breast cancer. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/breast-cancer/screening/index.html.
7 FDA submissions P080003, P080003/S001, P080003/S004, P080003/S005.
8 Results from Friedewald, SM, et al. “Breast cancer screening using tomosynthesis in combination with digital mammography.” JAMA 311.24 (2014): 2499-2507; a multi-site (13), non-randomized, historical control study of 454,000 screening mammograms investigating the initial impact the introduction of the Hologic Selenia Dimensions on screening outcomes. Individual results may vary. The study found an average 41% (95% CI: 20-65%) increase and that 1.2 (95% CI: 0.8-1.6) additional invasive breast cancers per 1000 screening exams were found in women receiving combined 2D FFDM and 3D™ mammograms acquired with the Hologic 3D Mammography™ System versus women receiving 2D FFDM mammograms only.
9 Zuckerman SP, Conant EF, Keller BM, et al. Implementation of Synthesized Two-dimensional Mammography in a Population-based Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Screening Program. Radiology. 2016 Dec;281(3):730- 736.
10 Skaane P, Bandos A, Eben EB, et al. Two-view digital breast tomosynthesis screening with synthetically reconstructed projection images: comparison with digital breast tomosynthesis with full-field digital mammographic images. Radiology. 2014 Jun;271(3):655-63.
11 Bernardi D, Macaskill P, Pellegrini M, et. al. Breast cancer screening with tomosynthesis (3D mammography) with acquired or synthetic 2D mammography compared with 2D mammography alone (STORM-2): a population-based prospective study. Lancet Oncol. 2016 Aug;17(8):1105-13.
12 McDonald ES, Oustimov A, Weinstein SP, et al. Effectiveness of Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Compared With Digital Mammography: Outcomes Analysis From 3 Years of Breast Cancer Screening. JAMA Oncol. 2016 Jun 1;2(6):737-43.
13 Women’s Health Index: Hologic: Global Women’s Health Index. Hologic. https://hologic.womenshealthindex.com.
14 Smith, A. Improving Patient Comfort in Mammography. Hologic WP-00019 Rev 003(2017).
15 Selenia Dimensions Competitive Comparison document MISC-04706 (2017).
16 Cozzi A, Magni V, Zanardo M, et al. Contrast-enhanced Mammography: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Diagnostic Performance. Radiology. 2022 Mar;302(3):568-581.
17 Xian W, Rao H, Zhou L. A meta-analysis of contrast enhanced spectral mammography versus MRI in the diagnosis of breast cancer. Thorac Cancer. 2020 Jun;11(6):1423-1432.
18 Hobbes M, Taylor D, Buzynski S et al. “Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) and contrast enhanced MRI (CEMRI): Patient preference and tolerance” J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol. 2015 Jun;59(3):300-5. [Epub 2015 Apr 21].
19 Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and American College of Radiology (ACR). Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – Breast. Radiologyinfo.org. https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info/breastmr=.
20 Patel B, Gray R, Pockaj B. Potential Cost Savings of Contrast-Enhanced Digital Mammography. AJR 2017;208:W231-W237.
