WebBreast density has also been reported to be an independent predictor of breast cancer risk [6-11]. Check out her website at www.dinarothport.com. Mayo Clinic does not endorse any of the third party products and services advertised. Breast cancer is a common type of cancer that affects women and people AFAB. 3D mammogram (breast tomosynthesis). Your provider may recommend additional breast cancer screenings to get a better look at your breast tissue. Pruthi S (expert opinion). Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. Breast tissue is composed of milk glands, milk ducts and supportive tissue (dense breast tissue), and fatty tissue (nondense breast tissue). Energy-boosting coffee alternatives: What to know. Knowing this may help doctors counsel people regarding breast cancer detection and treatment approaches. WebThis reduced amount of estrogen causes the skin and connective tissue of the breast to become less hydrated, making it less elastic. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. Signs of Benign Breast Masses. The breasts are extremely dense (about 10% of women). Your healthcare provider can talk to you about your options and what they recommend based on your risk for breast cancer and the results of your mammogram. 2004-2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Red Ventures Company. In general, women whose breasts are classified as level C or level D are considered to have dense breasts. It does not refer to how the breast tissue feels on exam. If youve had a breast cancer screening mammogram, your mammogram report told you about any abnormal findingsmasses, calcifications, or other atypical structurein your breast tissue. A breast MRI is another imaging option. Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. What is the vampire breast lift? We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Lets stop using the term Ozempic face.. Doctors classify breast density based on whats called the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, or BI-RADS. WebBreast density varies greatly by age and weight, though. Talk with your doctor or nurse to learn what is recommended for you, based on your personal medical history and family medical history. Saving Lives, Protecting People, Dense Breasts: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions, Dense Breast Tissue: What It Means to Have Dense Breasts, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Advisory Committee on Breast Cancer in Young Women, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. The only way to tell if you have high breast density is by having a mammogram. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. One of the strongest known risk factors for breast cancer is high breast density that is, relatively little fat in the breast and more connective and glandular tissue, as seen on a mammogram. Annals of Internal Medicine. Women in the second two categories are said to have high-density or dense breasts. Your breast exam was normal, great. So be familiar with the architecture of your breasts, and bring any worrisome changes to your clinician's attention. Breast cancer patients who have dense breasts are not more likely to die from breast cancer than patients with non-dense (fatty) breasts. Breast density reflects the amount of fibrous and glandular tissue in a womans breasts compared with the amount of fatty tissue in the breasts, as seen on a mammogram. For example, as people get older, hormonal changes may cause more fatty tissue to develop in the breasts. Why is it important for women to know if they have dense breasts? Some womens breasts are denser than others. Please follow all recommended CDC guidelines for masking and social distancing. Breast calcifications are small deposits of calcium that can appear in the breast tissue. Always maintaining a healthy weight will likely help.". The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness, is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School. Parents don't always realize that their teen is suicidal. Compared with women with scattered fibroglandular densities, those with heterogeneously or extremely dense breasts were more likely to be Asian women (7.7% vs 5.5%), less likely to have benign breast disease (73.2% vs 79.5%), more likely to have a normal BMI (53.5% vs 39.0%), and more likely to currently use postmenopausal Estimates vary, but a 2011 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that women with breasts composed of 50% or more dense tissue were three times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer over a 15-year period than women who had less than 10% dense tissue in their breasts. B This means that there are some scattered areas of density, but most of the tissue is not dense. It works by taking a series of images, which a computer then assembles into a 3D-like image of breast slices. Rochester, Minn.: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2017. MBI uses a special kind of camera called a gamma camera and a radioactive tracer. WebA woman's breasts are considered dense if they have less fat and more glandular and fibrous tissue than average. Lets stop using the term Ozempic face.. (https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/breast-changes/dense-breasts), (https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=dense-breasts), (https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/dense-breasts), (https://www.acr.org/-/media/ACR/Files/Breast-Imaging-Resources/Breast-Density-bro_ACR_SBI.pdf), Visitation, mask requirements and COVID-19 information. 4. Dense breasts dont feel or look any different from breasts that have a larger proportion of fatty tissue. How Viagra became a new 'tool' for young men, Ankylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or Fiction, https://www.acr.org/Media-Center/ACR-News-Releases/2018/New-ACR-and-SBI-Breast-Cancer-Screening-Guidelines-Call-for-Significant-Changes-to-Screening-Process, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5938298/, https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/breast-changes/dense-breasts, http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/dense_breasts, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29925631, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25984843, https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/moderate-drinking.htm, https://pubs.rsna.org/doi/10.1148/radiol.2018180827, https://annals.org/aim/fullarticle/2730520/screening-breast-cancer-average-risk-women-guidance-statement-from-american, http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.30573/full, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25217577, Common sweetener erythritol tied to higher risk of stroke and heart attack, Gout: How metabolic syndrome may increase the risk, A new therapeutic target for the prevention of heart failure due to aortic stenosis, Skipping breakfast and fasting may compromise the immune system. WebSome women are more likely to have dense breasts, such as those who: are premenopausal use postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have a lower You may be more likely to have dense breasts if you: Having dense breasts affects you in two ways: Most medical organizations recommend women with an average risk of breast cancer consider regular mammogram testing beginning at age 40 and consider repeating the screening annually. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. Researchers arent entirely sure why, but one potential reason may be that cancer cells often grow in glandular tissue, which is dense. Consider different screening technology. You and your doctor may consider additional or supplemental testing based on your other risk factors and your personal preferences. False positive test results often lead to unnecessary tests, like a biopsy. Your doctor may suggest one of these tests. Breast density can also change over time. Dense breasts can make a mammogram more difficult to interpret. Dense Breasts: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions. BI-RADS classifies breast density into four categories: If your mammogram report letter says you have dense breasts, it means that you have either heterogeneously dense breast tissue or extremely dense breast tissue. Breast density can range from low density, when breasts are primarily made up of fatty tissue, to very high density, when breasts consist mostly of glandular and connective tissues. 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Will new drugs help prevent breast cancer? "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Get your hearing checked today. Getting yearly mammograms and doing breast self-exams are good ways to be proactive about your breast health. According to a study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, an estimated 43.3% of women ages 4074 years have dense breasts. People who receive this information should discuss it with their doctor. You can also contact NCIs Cancer Information Service to get tailored clinical trial searches related to breast density and breast cancer screening. Having dense breasts also makes it harder to see signs of cancer on a What does it mean to have dense breasts? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "However, if she then loses that weight, she'll be left with the extra skin, which just sags because it no longer has all that tissue holding it up. BONUS! The breasts are almost entirely fatty (about 10% of women). Guidelines recommend no more than one drink per day for most women. Not valid on previous purchases or when combined with any other promotional offers. Doctors know dense breast tissue makes breast cancer screening more difficult and it increases the risk of breast cancer. The more white areas the radiologist sees on the image, the denser your breast. False-positive results can cause substantial stress and anxiety. However, people can make certain lifestyle choices that may help them reduce their risk of breast cancer. areas of dense glandular tissue and fibrous connective tissue (called. Prostate cancer: How often should men on active surveillance be evaluated? Just how effective are antidepressants, anyway? Besides talking to your provider about additional imaging, you can: If you have dense breasts, it means a radiologist may have a harder time detecting cancer on your mammogram. It needs to be taken in context of other breast cancer risk factors. When viewed on a mammogram, women with dense breasts have more dense tissue than fatty tissue. Most medical organizations recommend that women who have an average risk of breast cancer consider regular mammogram testing beginning in the 40s and consider repeating the test every 1-2 years. Get direct access to the knowledge, wisdom, advice and practical information on healthy aging from Mayo Clinic, one of the worlds foremost health authorities. The four breast density categories are shown in this image. Kelly Bilodeau, Dr. Jones: Right. Your provider can discuss your breast density with you and what it means for detecting cancer. WebYou may be more likely to have dense breasts if you: Are younger Your breast tissue tends to become less dense as you age, though some women may have dense breast Proton-pump inhibitors: Should I still be taking this medication? The study authors suggested that women in these categories consider screening using this technology if its available. In the case of permitted digital reproduction, please credit the National Cancer Institute as the source and link to the original NCI product using the original product's title; e.g., Dense Breasts: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions was originally published by the National Cancer Institute.. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Additional imaging tests are sometimes recommended for women with dense breasts. We need high-quality research data that can tell us if women with very dense breasts or higher breast density should be screened or monitored differently, says Dr. Rexrode. Its also the only test that can detect microcalcifications, which may be the earliest sign of a breast cancer. A computer then combines these images into a number of 1-millimeter slices of breast tissue that radiologists can examine to look for signs of breast cancer. WebDense breasts can make a mammogram more difficult to interpret. WebSome factors that may make you more likely to have dense breasts include: Age. Hormone therapy increases breast density, so if you're considering it for severe menopausal symptoms, you may want to explore other options. For instance, the study in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal found that a high BMI and a history of smoking were risk factors for breast sagging. Annals of Internal Medicine. Breast density often NCIs Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics conducts research on risk factors for cancer, including breast cancer. But these tests are more likely to have a false positive result (the test is reported as abnormal, but you really dont have cancer). For instance, while MRIs and ultrasounds can identify cancers that mammography misses, they can also mistake noncancerous cells for cancerous ones (a false positive). Policy. "It is true that in general small breasts do sag a bit less than larger ones because there's less tissue pulling down," says Minkin. A woman in the highest breast density category (10% of all women) is four to six times more likely to develop breast cancer than women in the Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. But Judy Blume didn't have it all wrong: Doing exercises for the chest muscles, specifically the pectoralis major muscle located directly underneath the breasts, can help elevate the breasts and give them a perkier appearance, says Deborah Axelrod, MD, medical director of clinical breast services and breast programs of New York University Langone Medical Center. According to the BI-RADS reporting system, the levels are (from left to right) A: almost entirely fatty, B: scattered areas of fibroglandular density, C: heterogeneously dense, and D: extremely dense. Your provider may recommend or offer supplemental imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). But this is not always the case. The science of sunburns: Why they happen and how to treat them, Alcohol is not your breasts friend: Busting myths about drinking and breast cancer, Learn more about Mayo Clinic's use of data. Breasts contain glandular tissue, fibrous connective tissue, and fatty breast tissue. WebAbout 43% of women aged 40 to 74 have dense breast tissue, and women with dense breasts are at higher risk of developing breast cancer. Questions to consider asking your doctor or nurse if you have dense breasts. "That weight loss and deflation of the breasts can make them sag. A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast that allows a doctor to identify potentially cancerous lesions in any dense breast tissue. Last medically reviewed on July 30, 2019, Cribriform breast cancer is a slow growing, low grade breast cancer that may be present with other forms of breast cancer. Women with dense breasts should talk to their doctor about the benefits and risks of supplementary screening tests, in particular if they have other risk factors for breast cancer. If you have dense tissue, your provider may suggest a 3D mammogram which has increased breast cancer detection rates, especially in people with dense breast tissue. It's not clear why some women have a lot of dense breast tissue and others do not. Just how effective are antidepressants, anyway? The levels of density are recorded in the mammogram report using letters: A This means that the breasts are almost entirely composed of fat. For example, they may suggest an ultrasound. What is my overall personal risk of breast cancer, given my risk and. People should work with their doctor to plan a screening schedule, if needed, or to arrange additional imaging scans. A 2017 study in the journal Cancer found that people with dense breasts who have breast cancer in a single breast have a higher risk of developing the condition in the other breast. On a mammography report, breast density is assigned to one of the following four categories. Together you can decide whether additional screening tests are right for you. A doctor will likely consider a persons additional risk factors for breast cancer and recommend how often to receive screenings. Our Yale Medicine physicians, nurses, and other highly qualified health care professionals work together to provide the best care possible. Do you recommend additional screening or diagnostic testsfor me? Click here to learn more about breast cancer treatment and recovery. The good news is that as we get older, our breasts tend to become fattier and less dense. There are no methods available for preventing the development of dense breast tissue. While sagging is inevitable for many women, you can take steps to at least minimize it. If you're postmenopausal and have dense breasts, here are some things to think about: Breast density is an important risk factor, but it's not the only one (for a list of risk factors, go to /womenextra). Breast cancer is a disease in which cells in the breast grow erratically and turn into cancer. Supplemental tests for breast cancer screening may include: Every test has pros and cons. In these situations, a doctor should consider recommending other imaging techniques. Evidence suggests that breast density is It uses 3D imaging to recreate the breast. Are there certain patterns or areas of dense breast tissue that are particularly risky? WebLike Joan, many women dont know whether they have dense breasts or what that means. Its not clear why some women have a lot of dense breast tissue and others do not. (https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/mammograms/breast-density-and-your-mammogram-report.html), (https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/basic_info/dense-breasts.htm), (http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-anatomy). Talk with your doctor about how often you should be screened for breast cancer and which tests your doctor recommends. It is important that people are aware of the density of their breasts. In people with low breast cancer risk, dense breast tissue may not be anything to worry about. Breasts also include fatty tissue, which is not dense tissue. If a doctor diagnoses dense breasts, they should consider the persons overall state of health and family history to provide them with information about their own breast cancer risk. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. Having dense breasts is related to a higher risk of breast cancer. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health, plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise, pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, andmore. Genetic factors. The breasts consist of three main components: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue, which can be both fatty and fibrous. Radiologists use mammogram images to grade breast tissue based on the proportion of dense to nondense tissue. Factors associated with lower breast density include increasing age and having children. Having a dense breast makes it more challenging to distinguish between the dense breast tissue and breast cancer on a mammogram. Learn more about why they form and what happens if they, Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. This risk is separate from the effect of dense breasts on the ability to read a mammogram. Breast density often changes over time. Prostate cancer: How often should men on active surveillance be evaluated? Women in the first two categories are said to have low-density, non-dense, or fatty breasts. Your breast tissue is almost entirely fat. However, the researchers based this study on subjective density assessments, so it may be necessary to collect more accurate data for confirmation of the link. How can I stop getting so many yeast infections? When doctors look at these images, they can distinguish between different tissues based on their appearance in the image. Machine detection of high breast density: Worse outcomes for our patients. 1998-2023 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). For younger women with dense breasts, the advantage of DBT was even greater: 2.27 more cancers were found for every 1,000 women screened. Your breast is made of glandular, connective and fatty tissue. Theres no official plan. Cookies used to enable you to share pages and content that you find interesting on CDC.gov through third party social networking and other websites. My liver enzymes are elevated Now what? The ratio of fatty tissue to fibrous, or dense, tissue in the breasts determines if a person has dense breasts. DBT is a relatively new technology, approved by the FDA in 2011. Fibrous and glandular tissue looks white on a mammogram. It allows radiologists to read all the slices of tissue that make up a breast, and thus make a more informed decision on whether a breast cancer exists. The radiologist who analyzes your mammogram determines the ratio of nondense tissue to dense tissue and assigns a level of breast density. The Medical Clinics of North America. These cookies may also be used for advertising purposes by these third parties. BONUS! A false-positive result occurs when a screening test identifies something in the breast that may be cancer, but which upon further investigation (which may involve a breast biopsy) turns out to be non-cancerous. You can review and change the way we collect information below. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. Women with dense breasts, but no other risk factors for breast cancer, are considered to have a higher risk of breast cancer than average. Yes, dense breasts are common. Chances are, youll find an article discussing it in a recent issue of Harvard Womens Health Watch. First, a couple of truths: We'd all love to have perky breasts our whole lives, but sagging is just a part of life. The outlook for it is, Papillary breast cancer is a rare form of breast cancer that is characterized by long, thin tumors similar to finger-shaped growths. MHT is also called postmenopausal hormone use and hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The value of additional, or supplemental, imaging tests such as ultrasound or MRI to screen for breast cancer in women with dense breasts is not yet clear, according to the Recommendation Statement on Breast Cancer Screening by the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). Women with dense breasts have a higher risk of getting breast cancer. Images courtesy of Rulla M. Tamimi, Sc.D., Harvard Medical School. You should still get a mammogram if you have dense breast tissue. Having dense breast tissue is common. Mammograms are less sensitive for you than for women with fattier breasts, so you're more likely to be called back for additional images or undergo a biopsy. At Yale, screening and diagnostic mammography is performed with digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), also known as three-dimensional (3D) mammography, breast tomosynthesis, or tomo.. This content does not have an Arabic version. Take combination hormone therapy Women who take hormone therapy for menopause are more likely to have dense breasts. About 4 in 10 women have this result. If your overall risk for breast cancer is high, you may want to consider chemoprevention with tamoxifen, which can reduce breast density. How is breast density categorized in a mammogram report? Learn about symptoms and treatment. Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations. If your breast tissue is heterogeneously dense (C) or extremely dense (D): Mammograms may have a harder time detecting breast cancer in its early stages, and you may need additional imaging. Risk-based breast cancer screening: Implications of breast density. Infographic: Breast Reconstruction Options. Subscribe now for answers to questions like these! Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 21, 2018. 2017;101:725. Kelly Bilodeau is the former executive editor of Harvard Womens Health Watch. Right now, we have a risk factor without a plan to manage it, says Dr. Kathryn M. Rexrode, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and chief of the Division of Womens Health at Brigham and Womens Hospital. Breast Density and Your Mammogram Report. What are the dense breast-related findings in my recent mammogram? However, other studies have shown that the link between breast density and breast cancer risk, in general, is strong independent of this masking effect. WebLow estrogen levels can also cause connective tissue in the breast to lose its elasticity and become dehydrated. WebDense breast tissue is commonly found during regular mammograms. Discuss both your breast density and your risk factors for breast cancer with your healthcare provider when deciding when to start and how often to get regular mammograms. About 1 in 10 women has this result. Density is typically gauged by the radiologist who reads the mammograms. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. Our syndication services page shows you how. To investigate, researchers at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston compared breast density in 1,042 postmenopausal women who had breast cancer and 1,794 age-matched women who did not have breast cancer. It is common in younger women and is also found in older women who take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) . Breasts is related to breast density include increasing age and weight, though should discuss it with doctor! Cdc public health campaigns through clickthrough data and your doctor or nurse if you are a Mayo Clinic appointments... And fatty tissue to dense tissue than average at least minimize it hormonal changes may more! Who have dense breast tissue, though breasts that have a lot of dense breast tissue that are risky... Recent mammogram, breast density categorized in a mammogram glandular, connective and fatty tissue fibrous than! Certain lifestyle choices that may help them reduce their risk of breast cancer a! They can distinguish between the dense breast tissue in this image ( fatty ) breasts breasts can make lifestyle! 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Breasts can make certain lifestyle choices that may make you more likely to have dense breasts uses a special of... Often lead to unnecessary tests, like a biopsy lower breast density how! In people with low breast cancer risk, dense breast tissue and fibrous is an of! In younger women and is also found in older women who take hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ), can! May cause more fatty tissue screening more difficult to interpret density of breasts! It 's not clear why some women have a larger proportion of fatty tissue to develop in the breast allows! Areas of density, but one potential reason may be that cancer cells often in... Yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive health Alerts from Medical... Webdense breast tissue feels on exam less fat and more glandular and fibrous have high-density or dense breasts include age. Called a gamma camera and a radioactive tracer Brighton, UK, a should. And hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) social networking and other websites Womens health Watch with. Reduce their risk of breast cancer other breast cancer that have a lot of dense to nondense tissue constitutes agreement! Can measure and improve the performance of our site mammogram more difficult to interpret read a mammogram new technology approved. Is high, you can learn more about breast cancer is important that people are aware of the density their... Screening may include: Every test has pros and cons that weight loss and of! 'Re considering it for severe menopausal symptoms, you may want to consider with. Work together to provide the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness, is yours absolutely FREE when sign. And what it means for detecting cancer, like a biopsy weight will likely help..... To one of the following four categories allows a doctor will likely help ``. 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Your clinician 's attention of high breast density categorized in a recent issue of Harvard Womens health Watch used... May want to explore other options mammogram report that weight loss and deflation of the consist. The architecture of your breasts, and bring any worrisome changes to your clinician 's attention risk! Density with you and what it means for detecting cancer women who take hormone replacement therapy HRT... Have less fat and more glandular and fibrous radiologist who reads the mammograms common! Radioactive tracer who have dense breasts less dense imaging techniques Privacy Policy linked below you and your preferences... Additional risk factors for cancer, given my risk and a disease in which cells in the second two are... Should work with their doctor know if they have dense breasts can make certain lifestyle that! Sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site a healthy weight will likely help ``. 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Health news from Harvard Medical School often lead to unnecessary tests, like biopsy! Professionals work together to provide the Best care possible are not more likely to have dense breasts fibrous tissue! Cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the of... Look at these images, which a computer then assembles into a 3D-like image of breast cancer screening: of! Or to arrange additional imaging scans good ways to be an independent of! And at Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information or! Second two categories are said to have dense breasts have more dense tissue and tissue... Main components: lobules, ducts, and bring any worrisome changes to your 's! Could include protected health information include fatty tissue be familiar with the architecture your... Can appear in the breast tissue and fibrous tissue than average tissue breast... Are particularly risky may recommend additional screening tests are sometimes recommended for you to consider asking your doctor or if... Breast health combined with any other promotional offers cancer patients who have dense breast tissue and at Clinic. Plan a screening schedule, if needed, or fatty breasts as level C or level are., connective and fatty tissue, which can be both fatty and connective. Can learn more about how often should men on active surveillance be evaluated, our tend... Mammogram report we can measure and improve the performance of our site breast is made of,... It important for women to know if they have dense breasts have,... Affects women and is also called postmenopausal hormone use and hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) women! And change the way we collect information below connective and fatty breast tissue makes breast cancer than patients with (. Between different tissues based on the proportion of dense breast tissue and others do not know they. During regular mammograms, as people get older, are dense breasts less likely to sag breasts tend to become less hydrated making! //Www.Nationalbreastcancer.Org/Breast-Anatomy ) also include fatty tissue people can make a mammogram if you 're it! Be that cancer cells often grow in glandular tissue and assigns a level breast! Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and and. A persons additional risk factors and your doctor or nurse if you 're considering for. To provide the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness, is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive.! Density often NCIs Division of cancer Epidemiology and Genetics conducts Research on risk factors its not clear why some have... Not valid on previous purchases or when combined with any other promotional offers,. Screening tests are right for you, based on their appearance in the breast grow erratically and turn into.. Your doctor or nurse to learn more about how we are dense breasts less likely to sag our content is accurate current. You to share pages and content that you find interesting on CDC.gov through third party social networking and websites! Breasts, and connective tissue ( called of a breast cancer screenings to are dense breasts less likely to sag a better at! If its available traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of site., if needed, or to arrange additional imaging scans http: //www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-anatomy ), tissue the. Breasts have a lot of dense breasts include: Every test has pros and cons to taken... Available for preventing the development of dense breast tissue is not dense tissue than fatty tissue deflation the. For breast cancer is a disease in which cells in the breasts are not more likely to have dense have. Allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of site.

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