ONE in seven women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime
According to Cancer Research UK, breast cancer is the most common cancer in Britain, accounting for 15 per cent of all new cases.
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But there is hope. People who know they are at higher risk can stay vigilant and be more aware of any warning signs.
The earlier breast cancer is detected, the better the chances for effective treatment.
For decades, doctors have known that having dense breasts can impact the efficacy of the breast cancer screening.
This is because dense tissue can make potentially cancerous breast lumps harder to pick up on mammograms and ultrasound scan.
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TV presenter and mum-of-three Julia Bradbury, 53, was given a delayed breast cancer diagnosis after the disease went unnoticed.
In 2020, she felt a lump in her left breast, but the tumour was missed three times.
She claims her dense breasts made it more difficult to spot the cancer on scans, effectively masking the tumour.
Now, a new US study adds to growing evidence that having dense breasts may itself be a risk factor for developing breast cancer.
“We wanted to go beyond just the diagnosis link and understand the actual risk of developing breast cancer,” study author, Jane Lange, from Oregon Health & Science University Knight Cancer Institute, said.
The new study, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, looked at data from over 33,000 women between 2000 and 2018.
It found that those with dense breasts were 1.7 times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with less dense tissue – even when accounting for the sensitivity of mammogram.
Mammograms work by using X-rays to look for signs of cancer in the breasts.
However, for women with dense breasts, the tissue appears white on a mammogram, which can make it harder to spot cancer, which also appears white.
This can lead to false negatives, where cancer is present but not detected.
The study found that digital mammograms are less effective for women with dense breasts.
They are able to detect 73 per cent of cancers in women with dense breasts, compared to 93 per cent in women with breasts that have mostly fatty tissue, where the cancer is easier to see.
Julia Bradbury’s breast cancer story
I felt a lump in my left breast in 2020 but the tumour was missed three times.
My dense breast tissue masked the cancerous mass on the scans and made the tumour more difficult to find.
On a mammogram, dense breast tissue appears as a solid white area, which makes it difficult to see through.
You won’t be told if you have dense breasts unless you ask.
So cancer might be missed like mine was.
My consultant later told me that it’s like looking for a snowflake in a snowstorm.
He suggested I get an ultrasound to double-check — and that’s when they spotted my cancer.
I had an operation to remove my breast, a 6cm tumour and two lymph glands, followed by a reconstruction.
I have three children, Zephyrus, 12, and Xanthe and Zena, both eight, and we didn’t talk about death.
I wanted to stay alive and see them grow up.
I’m relieved to say that I’m now in remission.
If I hadn’t attended my screenings and listened to that doctor’s advice, I wouldn’t be alive today.
I find that very frightening to think about.
This means women with dense breasts might need additional screening methods to ensure cancers are not missed.
But women with dense breasts are often advised to get screened more often, which can help catch cancer earlier.
The study supports new US regulations requiring mammogram centres to inform patients about their breast density.
From September 2024 women have been told if they have dense breasts during their mammogram.
Jane said: “Our study reinforces the importance of these requirements.”
While the study doesn’t change current screening guidelines, she suggests that women with dense breasts talk to their doctors about other screening options, like MRIs or ultrasounds.
It’s estimated that approximately 40 per cent of women over 40 have dense breasts.
If you’ve been told you are one of them, it’s important to remember that this is just one risk factor for developing cancer, alongside many others which may be more within your control.
What are dense breasts?
Breast tissue is made up of fibrous connective tissue, glandular tissue, and fat.
If you have “dense breast tissue,” it means you have more fibrous and glandular tissue compared to fat.
This is more common in women who are pre-menopausal or perimenopausal, as breast density decreases with age.
Women of Asian or Afro-Caribbean descent are also more likely to have dense breasts, and it can run in families.
Having dense breasts can increase your risk of developing breast cancer – but the exact reason why isn’t fully understood.
One issue is that dense tissue can make it harder to spot lumps or tumours on mammograms and ultrasound scans.
Around 40 per cent of women over 40 have dense breasts.
It’s important to remember that dense breasts are just one risk factor.
Many other things, like diet, exercise, and avoiding smoking or alcohol, are more within your control.
Even though dense breasts can make screening harder, it’s still possible to detect cancer with regular mammograms.
So, while dense breasts do add to the risk, it’s just one factor to consider.
