KALAMAZOO, Mich. \u2014 Early intervention is key to fighting breast cancer, but there are some factors that make detection harder for women.<\/p>\n
Testing for cancer isn\u2019t a one-size-fits-all approach. It depends on a number of things, including family history, age, and breast density.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is something that is very important for people to understand,\u201d Dr. Mazen Mislmani, division chief of radiation oncology at the West Michigan Cancer Center, said. \u201cThere’s a lot of factors that go into the optimal screening strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Breast density essentially refers to the amount of fibroglandular tissue there is in the breast compared to fatty tissue.<\/p>\n
Having breasts that are considered \u2018dense\u2019 also creates a two-fold problem.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe first one is that it actually increases the risk of developing breast cancer in the first place,\u201d Dr. Mislmani said. \u201cAnd then the second problem is that it makes it more difficult to interpret the mammogram.\u201d<\/p>\n
On a mammogram, fatty issue appears dark, which makes any sign of cancer stand out.<\/p>\n
\u201cA small tumor is like a white circle on a dark background,\u201d Dr. Mislmani said. \u201cSo in a fatty breast, it’s easy to see that.\u201d<\/p>\n
But, dense tissue also appears white.<\/p>\n
So, in a dense breast, there\u2019s a collection of white within the dark background that\u2019s part of the normal tissue makeup.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more of those white areas you have on that mammogram, the more difficult it becomes to see a cancer that is supposed to also look white because it blends in,\u201d Dr. Mislmani said.<\/p>\n
Breast density can be broken down into four categories:<\/p>\n
A – Almost completely fat, and the easiest mammograms to readB – Scattered densities in the breastC – Heterogeneously dense, which is the cutoff for when doctors started calling breasts \u2018dense\u2019D – Extremely dense<\/p>\n
About half the population has dense breasts, said Dr. Mislmani, so it isn\u2019t uncommon.<\/p>\n
If doctors are concerned about a patient being high risk and they feel the mammogram isn\u2019t providing enough comfort, they\u2019ll move into supplemental testing, such as MRIs or ultrasounds, to be sure of their findings.<\/p>\n
\u201cEarly detection is enormously important,\u201d Dr. Mislmani said. \u201cTalk to your doctor. Know yourself. Know your risk. Know your density.\u201d<\/p>\n