[noscript_1]
Nine in ten women do not know their breast density – a key risk factor for cancer – research has found.
A survey of 2,000 people also found that more than half of women were unaware of the link between the characteristic and the disease.
Breast density refers to the ratio of fat to glandular and connective tissue – the less fat, the denser the breast.
And as breast tissue shows up white on a mammogram – as do tumours – it means the more tissue the less effective the scan, as tumours are harder to spot.
Denser breasts also carry a higher risk of developing cancer in the first place. For the third of women with moderately dense breasts, the risk is four times higher. For the 10 per cent with the densest breast tissue, it can rise up to six-fold.
Despite this, if a woman is found during a routine scan to have dense breasts, it is not even recorded in her medical notes, even though almost three-quarters of women say they want to know.
More than 40 per cent of women have dense breasts, yet in Britain, unlike the US and most of Europe, they are often not told. Density also bears no relation to the feel, shape or size of the breast.
Around 56,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in Britain each year, making it the most common cancer in the country. While nine in ten survive, the disease still claims more than 11,000 lives annually.
Breast screening is a cornerstone in the fight against the disease, aiming to detect tumours early when they are easier to treat. Pictured: a female patient undertaking a mammogram
Breast screening is a cornerstone in the fight against the disease, aiming to detect tumours early when they are easier to treat. But for women with dense breasts, the programme falls short.
Researchers from the University of Cambridge and Addenbrooke’s Hospital estimate that more than 3,500 cancers are going undetected by mammograms each year, but adding additional screening methods such as MRIs or ultrasound could triple detection rates.
The survey was carried out on behalf of Micrima, a private breast density clinic.
‘For too long, breast density has been an unknown for many women, despite the role it can play in both cancer risk and detection,’ said its chief executive Adrian Waller.
‘Our aim is to give women access to clear, personalised information so they can better understand their own breast health and make informed decisions with confidence.’
