Doctor emphasizes importance of informing women about breast density during mammograms

ROCK HILL, S.C. — Dense breast tissue can sometimes make for a difficult diagnosis. It also brings a higher risk, one that many women don’t even know about until now.

Channel 9′s Almiya White shares one survivor’s story during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and how she hopes a new requirement will help others.

“I always have done my mammograms on my birthday, which is September, so it’s, you know, right around breast awareness cancer,” said Bette Christensen.

Christensen explained how it was a yearly routine for her to get screened for breast cancer. However, three years ago, her route mammogram became “not so routine.”

“They came back, and they said, We’re seeing something,” Christensen elaborated. “I had bilateral breast cancer.”

She said she’s grateful it was caught early and is encouraged by a new ruling she believes will help other women. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration ruled that mammogram patients must be informed about their breast density.

“The more information women have, the better off they’ll be,” Christensen said.

Greater breast density is linked with a higher risk for breast cancer. Now, medical records will indicate whether a patient’s breasts are dense or not.

Some facilities, like The Women’s Diagnostic Center in Rock Hill, told Channel 9 that they were already providing that information to patients.

“I typically put mine at the top, but as long as it’s on the report somewhere, it meets the FDA guidelines,” said Diagnostic Radiologist Dr. Matthew Guy.

Guy said women need to know their breast density, and that can only be determined through imaging.

“The higher the composition of fibrous components you have, the higher density your breast is going to look for on a mammogram. Not only is it going to be a higher risk of breast cancer, but also because breast cancers are white on a white fibrous background. The more fibrous tissue you have, the harder it is to detect breast cancer,” Guy explained.

Guy said the FDA’s new ruling will benefit people in rural areas.

“Smaller centers, ones that may not have been reporting that in the past, those patients are going to benefit the most because now they’ll have that extra information,” Guy elaborated.

Christensen explained that she underwent radiation treatment and hoped for a clear scan in December. In the meantime, she makes pillows for breast cancer patients.

“I do pray over the pillows too, just so that the woman knows that someone’s thinking about them,” Christensen said.

But the most important thing she wants women to know is the importance of that yearly mammogram.

“Early detection is the absolute key,” Christensen concluded.

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