March 9, 2023 — Women with dense breast tissue will receive additional information during their cancer screenings under recent FDA regulations.
Mammogram providers have to warn women that their results could also be tougher to interpret and recommend that they seek advice from their doctors about further testing. the FDA says.
This will result in earlier detection of breast cancer, proponents say.
Breast cancer is the second commonest cancer in American women after skin cancer, says the American Cancer SocietyThis 12 months, about 300,000 recent cases can be diagnosed and about 43,700 women will die from breast cancer, the organization said.
“Today's action represents the agency's broader commitment to supporting innovations to prevent, detect and treat cancer,” said Hilary Marston, FDA chief medical officer.
Most states require women to be told if a mammogram reveals they've dense breasts. The FDA decision sets a minimum standard for 8,700 facilities nationwide, and states can require much more explicit language. The Washington Post reported.
“Dense breasts have relatively little fat and more glandular and connective tissue,” the Post wrote. “Nearly half of all women age 40 and older have the condition. Dense breasts can appear white on a mammogram — but so can cancer, making it difficult for radiologists to detect tumors.” Women with dense breasts even have the next risk of developing the disease.
Mammography providers have 18 months to comply with the standards. Information about dense breasts can be included in a letter to patients and their doctors.