The majority of women are unaware of how breast density affects their risk of breast cancer and the ability of mammograms to detect cancer, according to a recent study conducted by the Medical School. The study is a part of a larger project, directed by Radiology Prof. Jennifer Harvey, MD, which involved analyzing 4,000 mammograms and working to find an efficient and accurate method for measuring breast density.
The study was conducted through phone surveys of Virginia women ages 35-70, the age range at which women are at the highest risk for breast cancer. Sociology Prof. Thomas Guterbock, director of the Center for Survey Research, said that the survey was only sent to women, and that the surveys were done in Spanish and English using both cell phones and landlines in order to gain a fully representative sample of Virginian women.
The results indicated that only one in eight women knew that breast density is a risk factor for causing breast cancer and that one in five were aware that dense breast tissue makes it more difficult for mammograms to detect tumors. Specifically, having denser breasts puts women at a higher risk for breast cancer.
“In the highest density category, women may be three to five times more likely to develop breast cancer,” study co-author Wendy Cohn, associate professor of Public Health Sciences Administration, said.
Additionally, the study demonstrated that the strongest predictor of whether a woman is aware of what breast density means is whether or not her doctors have notified her about the density of her breasts. However, women who live in Virginia are only notified if they are in the top two out of four categories, and many states do not require physicians to notify their patients about breast density as a part of mammogram results at all.
Cohn recommends that women become aware of their breast densities as they would for other risk factors for breast cancer, such as family history. She said she believes that a state mandate is a possible solution to ensure women can gain access to this information.
Guterbock and the study’s researchers emphasized the importance of communication between patients and their healthcare providers, especially since density readings are subjective and unique for each patient.
“The thing to realize is that there are a number of risks for breast cancer, and they vary according to the individual, from genetics to smoking and other risk factors that are well understood,” Guterbock said. “There is no one-size-fits-all [answer] except [to] talk to your doctor and be aware that breast density is one of the risk factors.”
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