title: Dense Breasts: What Do Our Patients Need to Be Told and Why?
abstract: More than 50 % of states have state-mandated density notification for patients with heterogeneously or extremely dense breasts. Increased breast density carries a risk of masking a cancer and delaying diagnosis. Supplemental imaging is optional and often recommended for certain patients. There are no evidence-based consensus guidelines for screening patients with density as their only risk factor. Breast cancer risk assessment and breast cancer prevention strategies should be discussed with women with dense breasts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA. Alyssa.throckmorton@bmg.md.|Baptist Cancer Center, Memphis, TN, USA. Alyssa.throckmorton@bmg.md.
authors.forename: Alyssa D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Throckmorton
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Amy C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Degnim
authors.affiliation: Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, Christiana Care Health System, Newark, DE, USA.
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dickson-Witmer
mesh_terms: D000071060:Breast Density; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003142:Communication; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007883:Legislation, Medical; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods; D057054:Molecular Imaging; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary