Breast Density

Understand what breast density is, why it matters and hear from the Founder of Breast Density Matters UK, Cheryl Cruwys, on the importance of finding out where you fall on the breast density scale.

What is Breast Density?

Breast Density Rating

FAQs

What is Breast Density and why does it matter?

Breast density (also known as ‘mammographic density’) is a strong predictor of whether a woman will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Despite this, researchers and medical professionals are still unsure of why this is the case, and many women have never heard of the phrase breast density before.

Dense breasts have nothing to do with the way a breast feels. Breast density is determined by radiologists who review a woman’s mammogram. However, in the UK, breast density is not routinely assessed, recorded, nor reported to women.

Breast Density Matters UK

Cheryl Cruwys is the Founder of Breast Density Matters UK. Their mission is to raise awareness and educate about the implications of dense breast tissue. Cheryl is also the European Education Coordinator for DenseBreast-info and a member of the Patient Advisory Group of the European Society of Radiology.

To help explain what breast density is and how it affects cancer detection, Cheryl has provided key information, including why it’s important to find out where you fall on the breast density scale.

What is Dense Breast Tissue?

It is important to note that dense breasts are normal. All breasts contain glands, fibrous tissue, and fat. Dense breast tissue is made of glands and fibrous tissue, but dense breasts have relatively more glandular and fibrous tissue than fatty breasts.

Having dense breasts both increases the likelihood of developing breast cancer and of having cancer being missed by mammography. Mammograms are not as effective in detecting cancerous tumours within dense breast tissue.

As seen in Fig.1, dense breast tissue appears white as does a cancerous tumour; it is like looking for a ball of cotton in a snowstorm; the denser the tissue, the whiter the mammogram. This matters because as density increases, the ability of a mammogram to show cancer decreases.

Currently, as per the UK national screening guidelines, women with dense breasts are screened solely with mammograms. In some other countries such as France and Austria, a woman with dense breasts is offered further screening (e.g. ultrasound).

Breast density is an important piece of information about a woman’s breast health. Few women are aware of their own breast density or its associated risks. In the UK, there is an increase in need for density education for both health professionals and for patients.

Currently, awareness about the need for education on the topic is raised by Breast Density Matters UK who recommends medically sourced DenseBreast-info.org as an educational resource. Equipped with their density composition, women can discuss appropriate screening with health professionals and make informed decisions on their breast health.

What Breast Density Matters UK Recommends

Take the following information to your breast screening and ask if they can tell you if you have dense breasts. It is important to be aware that it is currently not UK breast screening protocol to provide this information, and so they do not have to give you an answer.

Patient Fact Sheet (available in multiple languages)
Request for Breast Density form – If you would like to try to access your breast density category, complete and give/send to your breast screening unit/radiologist.

The DenseBreast-info.org/Europe website provides medically sourced resources for patients and healthcare professionals.

Breast Density Rating

Breast density is determined through a woman’s mammogram and is described as one of four categories:

(A) Fatty
(B) Scattered fibro glandular density
(C) Heterogeneously dense
(D) Extremely dense

Categories (C) and (D) are considered dense breasts.

Breast Density Facts

Dense breasts are normal. 40% of women aged 40 and over have dense breasts.
Although normal, dense breast tissue is a risk factor for developing breast cancer and the denser the breast, the greater the risk.
Mammography remains the standard screening test for breast cancer and is proven to reduce deaths due to breast cancer. However, in dense breasts, cancers can be hidden on mammography and may go undetected until they are larger and more likely to have spread.
Other screening tests, such as ultrasound or MRI, when added to mammography, substantially increase the detection of early-stage breast cancer in women with dense breasts.

(copyright) DenseBreast-info.org

Breast Density FAQs

Does breast density have something to do with your age?

Commonly, younger women have denser breasts, and with age, dense breast tissue tends to reduce. However, this is not always the case. Some women retain their dense breast tissue as they age.

Does having dense breasts mean a woman will develop breast cancer?

Whilst women with dense breasts have increased risk of developing breast cancer, not all women with dense breasts will develop breast cancer.

Can men have dense breasts?

Male breasts do not contain dense tissue. However, men can get breast cancer.

How can a woman reduce her breast density?

There are no guidelines on how women can reduce their breast density, however, some medications have been proven to reduce breast density.

Does diet and/or exercise affect breast density?

With regard to diet and exercise, neither directly impact breast density. However, regular exercise, healthy diet and avoiding weight gain do decrease your risk of developing breast cancer.

Understanding breast density, and being able to access the optimal breast screening, can mean the difference between early- or late-stage diagnosis.

How Prevent Breast Cancer is Increasing Awareness Around Breast Density

In addition to working with Breast Density Matters UK to raise awareness, Prevent Breast Cancer’s funded scientists are working hard to unlock the mysteries of this significant risk factor.

One of our current research projects on this topic includes finding out more about breast density and which genetic changes occur within dense breasts that can lead to cancer development.

The hope is that this project could lead to new preventative drugs in future that can lower breast density levels and therefore breast cancer risk.

About Prevent Breast Cancer

Prevent Breast Cancer is the only UK charity entirely dedicated to the prediction and prevention of breast cancer – we’re committed to freeing the world from the disease altogether. Unlike many cancer charities, we’re focused on preventing, rather than curing. Promoting early diagnosis, screening and lifestyle changes, we believe we can stop the problem before it starts. And being situated at the only breast cancer prevention centre in the UK, we’re right at the front-line in the fight against the disease. Join us today and help us create a future free from breast cancer. If you have any questions or concerns, email us today.