麻豆传媒

Health

    • Dense breasts can make it harder to spot cancer on a mammogram

    This image provided by the UW/Fred Hutch Cancer Center Breast Imaging in October 2024 shows mammogram scans with dense and not dense tissue. (UW/Fred Hutch Cancer Center Breast Imaging via AP) This image provided by the UW/Fred Hutch Cancer Center Breast Imaging in October 2024 shows mammogram scans with dense and not dense tissue. (UW/Fred Hutch Cancer Center Breast Imaging via AP)
    Share

    When a woman has a mammogram, the most important finding is whether there鈥檚 any sign of breast cancer.

    The second most important finding is whether her breasts are dense.

    Since early September, a new U.S. rule requires mammography centers to inform women about their breast density 鈥 information that isn鈥檛 entirely new for some women because many states already had similar requirements.

    Here鈥檚 what to know about why breast density is important.

    Are dense breasts bad?

    No, dense breasts are not bad. In fact, they鈥檙e quite normal. About 40 per cent of women ages 40 and older have dense breasts.

    Women of all shapes and sizes can have dense breasts. It has nothing to do with breast firmness. And it only matters in the world of breast cancer screening, said Dr. Ethan Cohen of MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

    With the new rule, 鈥渢here are going to be a lot of questions to a lot of doctors and there鈥檚 going to be a lot of Googling, which is OK. But we want to make sure that people don鈥檛 panic,鈥 Cohen said.

    How is breast density determined?

    Doctors who review mammograms have a system for classifying breast density.

    There are four categories. The least dense category means the breasts are almost all fatty tissue. The most dense category means the breasts are mostly glandular and fibrous tissue.

    Breasts are considered dense in two of the four categories: 鈥渉eterogeneously dense鈥 or 鈥渆xtremely dense.鈥 The other two categories are considered not dense.

    Dr. Brian Dontchos of the Seattle-based Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center said the classification can vary depending on the doctor reading the mammogram "because it鈥檚 somewhat subjective.鈥

    Why am I being told I have dense breasts?

    Two reasons: For one, dense breasts make it more difficult to see cancer on an X-ray image, which is what a mammogram is.

    鈥淭he dense tissue looks white on a mammogram and cancer also looks white on a mammogram,鈥 said Dr. Wendie Berg of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and chief scientific adviser to DenseBreast-info.org. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like trying to see a snowball in a blizzard.鈥

    Second, women with dense breast tissue are at a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer because cancers are more likely to arise in glandular and fibrous tissue.

    Reassuringly, women with dense breasts are no more likely to die from breast cancer compared to other women.

    What am I supposed to do?

    If you find out you have dense breasts, talk to your doctor about your family history of breast cancer and whether you should have additional screening with ultrasound or MRI, said Dr. Georgia Spear of Endeavor Health/NorthShore University Health System in the Chicago area.

    Researchers are studying better ways to detect cancer in women with dense breasts. So far, there鈥檚 not enough evidence for a broad recommendation for additional screening. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force called for more research in this area when it updated its breast cancer screening recommendations earlier this year.

    Do I still need a mammogram?

    Yes, women with dense breasts should get regular mammograms, which is still the gold standard for finding cancer early. Age 40 is when mammograms should start for women, transgender men and nonbinary people at average risk.

    鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to replace the mammogram,鈥 Spear said. 鈥淲e want to add to it by adding a specific other test.鈥

    Will insurance cover additional screening?

    For now, that depends on your insurance, although a bill has been introduced in the U.S. Congress to require insurers to cover additional screening for women with dense breasts.

    Additional screening can be expensive 鈥 from US$250 to US$1,000 out of pocket, so that鈥檚 a barrier for many women.

    鈥淓very woman should have equal opportunity to have their cancer found early when it鈥檚 easily treated,鈥 Berg said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the bottom line.鈥

    The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute鈥檚 Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

    CTVNews.ca Top Stories

    Police are looking for a suspect who allegedly threw a coffee at a woman鈥檚 vehicle and then shot at her windshield following some sort of dispute that began at a Tim Hortons in Pickering on Friday morning.

    The former principal of a Christian school in Ontario's Niagara Region has been arrested and charged with sexual assault.

    Toronto police have identified the woman who was allegedly killed by a suspected serial killer earlier this month.

    Parents at some private, for-profit daycares across the GTA are being warned that their fees could soon be doubling as operators consider pulling out of the national $10-a-day child-care program.

    Canada

    • More than a month after the murder of Nova Scotia woman Esther Jones, her family continues to grapple with the loss.

    • Border guards in Montreal intercepted millions of amphetamine tablets concealed in hundreds of PVC panels inside a container from China.

    • Parents of Quebec teenagers are worried that high schools are becoming "recruitment grounds" after police arrested a dozen teens it believes have ties to organized crime. But experts say it's nothing new and better prevention measures are needed.

    • The former principal of a Christian school in Ontario's Niagara Region has been arrested and charged with sexual assault.

    • Police are looking for a suspect who allegedly threw a coffee at a woman鈥檚 vehicle and then shot at her windshield following some sort of dispute that began at a Tim Hortons in Pickering on Friday morning.

    World

    Politics

    Health

    Sci-Tech

    Entertainment

    Business

    Lifestyle

    • James Taylor never expected to be walking home with a bag full of groceries he didn't buy.

    • This weekend marks the fifth anniversary of a large blizzard that paralyzed Manitoba.

    Sports

    Autos

    • Elon Musk unveils his 'Cybercab' robotaxi

      Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled on Thursday his vision of a 'a fun, exciting future,' an 'age of abundance' full of his company鈥檚 self-driving cars without steering wheels, parking lots turned into parks and robots that will walk among the population 鈥 that he once again promised would be available within a few years.

    • video

      video

      Dozens of cars were pulled out of the Detroit River in west Windsor on Tuesday, causing many questions for Windsorites.

    Local Spotlight

    James Taylor never expected to be walking home with a bag full of groceries he didn't buy.

    This weekend marks the fifth anniversary of a large blizzard that paralyzed Manitoba.

    There was an eye-catching mix of rainbows and lightning over Vancouver following a brief downpour this week.

    Jeff Warner from Aidie Creek Gardens in the northern Ontario community of Englehart has a passion for growing big pumpkins and his effort is paying off in more ways than one.

    Saskatchewan鈥檚 Jessica Campbell has made hockey history, becoming the first ever female assistant coach in the National Hockey League (NHL).

    Have you ever seen videos of hovercrafts online or on TV and thought, 'Wow, I wish I could ride one of those.' One Alberta man did, and then built his own.

    A B.C. couple is getting desperate 鈥 and creative 鈥 in their search for their missing dog.

    Videos of a meteor streaking across the skies of southern Ontario have surfaced and small bits of the outer space rock may have made it to land, one astronomy professor says.

    A unique form of clouds made an appearance over the skies of Ottawa on Sunday evening.

    • With just over a week to go until election day, another BC Conservative candidate is coming under fire. This time, for comments about First Nations communities.

    • New research is showing the positive impact SOGI 123 or sexual orientation and gender identity resources are having in schools across British Columbia.

    • Greater Vancouver hosting multiple Northern Lights displays is part of a "very natural cycle", says UBC professor.

    • Parents at some private, for-profit daycares across the GTA are being warned that their fees could soon be doubling as operators consider pulling out of the national $10-a-day child-care program.

    • Here is a look at what鈥檚 open, what鈥檚 closed, and what鈥檚 on in the GTA during Thanksgiving weekend 2024:

    • The Halton Regional Police are seeking the public鈥檚 assistance in locating a man wanted for attempted murder after allegedly being released 鈥渋n error.鈥

    • Police are looking for a driver involved in a hit-and-run in the northeast Calgary community of Pineridge that sent a man to hospital in serious condition.

    • Calgary Public Library (CPL) locations will be closing early on Friday following a cyber attack.

    • Alberta's United Conservative Party members will soon debate 35 policy resolutions that include banning transgender people from women's washrooms, prohibiting non-binary gender identifiers on government documents, and ensuring trans medical treatments are not publicly funded.

    • A Manotick business has been left stunned as thieves made off with $90,000 worth of jewelry.

    • A 28-year-old woman is facing charges following the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Prescott, Ont. Thursday, according to the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP).

    • The promotional giveaway that was planned for Monday's game against the Los Angeles Kings at the Canadian Tire Centre will be modified, according to the Ottawa Senators.

    • Two young men are facing second-degree murder charges in connection with the fatal fire in Old Montreal that killed L茅onor Geraudie, 43, and her daughter V茅rane Reynaud-Geraudie on Oct. 4.

    • Parents of Quebec teenagers are worried that high schools are becoming "recruitment grounds" after police arrested a dozen teens it believes have ties to organized crime. But experts say it's nothing new and better prevention measures are needed.

    • A woman in her 70s is fighting for her life in hospital after being struck by a vehicle on Friday evening in Longueuil, Mont茅r茅gie on Montreal's South Shore.

    • 麻豆传媒 Edmonton spoke with two families, as well as Edmonton's public and Catholic school divisions, about the first month of school with Alberta's school cellphone ban.

    • A week ago today, Lita Pawliw was on the receiving end of a phone call no mother ever wants to get.

    • More than a month after the murder of Nova Scotia woman Esther Jones, her family continues to grapple with the loss.

    • It's not the most auspicious Thanksgiving weather for the Maritimes as a series of low pressure systems and weather fronts move through the region bringing inclement weather.

    • A multiple vehicle collision took place Saturday morning on Hwy. 101 in Nova Scotia.

    • Two Winnipeggers have been arrested after images and videos were posted online of animals being tortured and killed.

    • A 37-year-old Winnipeg man has been charged with multiple offences after videos filmed in a public pool change room were seized by police.

    • Tec Voc has started 6-0 鈥 leading the AAA division as the only undefeated team.

    • There is a lot on the line in Saturday鈥檚 matchup between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and BC Lions as a Rider win will secure them a home playoff game.

    • Regina will vote for a new mayor, city council and public and separate school board trustees on Nov. 13.

    • The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party laid out its platform on Friday, ahead of the Oct. 28 provincial election.

    • Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest has officially begun! Here's what happened during Friday's big Bavarian celebration at Willkommen Platz.

    • The Northern Lights put on another spectacular show on Thursday night, with shades of blue, pink and green rippling across the night sky.

    • Kitchener, Ont. native Steven Lorentz scored his first goal for the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night.

    • The leaders of Saskatchewan鈥檚 two major political parties are sharing their plans to tackle the growing homelessness crisis.

    • The Saskatchewan New Democratic Party laid out its platform on Friday, ahead of the Oct. 28 provincial election.

    • A Prince Albert woman has developed an app that allows people to lend and borrow items from each other.

    • video

      video

      The London Knights have christened the new Canada Life Place arena with a 5-4 win over the Barrie Colts.

    • In case you missed it, 麻豆传媒 London has gathered all of the top local stories from this week into one video for your convenience.

    • If you鈥檙e getting together with friends and family this long weekend, there are some things to keep in mind. Many offices, stores and businesses will be closed to mark the holiday. Here's what to know about what is open this Monday:

    • Provincial police remind motorists about the importance of buckling up after an officer discovered a passenger sitting on a kitchen chair inside the vehicle during a traffic stop in the Town of the Blue Mountains.

    • A Christian Island man is facing multiple charges in connection to the left of a vehicle in Midland.

    • A man and a woman are facing multiple charges after being found seemingly unconscious in a vehicle in Midland Friday afternoon.

    • In case you missed it, 麻豆传媒 Windsor has compiled all of the top local stories from this week into one video.

    • A Windsor man testified in his careless driving trial in a Chatham-Kent courtroom on Friday.

    • A University of Windsor board member is calling for a pause on controversial agreements made with pro-Palestinian protesters who occupied part of the campus earlier this year.

    • With just over a week to go until election day, another BC Conservative candidate is coming under fire. This time, for comments about First Nations communities.

    • B.C. Conservatives Leader John Rustad says it will be up to voters to judge his party's candidates as he stood by a pair whose remarks on Indigenous and Muslim people drew condemnation from election rivals and other critics.

    • James Taylor never expected to be walking home with a bag full of groceries he didn't buy.

    • Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.

    • A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.

    • Nearly two years after a man was stabbed to death in downtown Kelowna, RCMP have made an arrest in the case.

    • Local photographers were amazed by the aurora borealis display in the night sky over Lethbridge on Thursday night.

    • Lethbridge- The latest monthly report from the Alberta Real Estate Association shows Lethbridge has seen one of the biggest year over year increases in home prices.

    • The Interfaith Food Bank is busy preparing Thanksgiving bundles and has some tips for anyone hoping to cut down on their holiday dinner costs.

    • A closer look at preventing graffiti will be looked at in Sault Ste. Marie, after a string of offensive displays by one man, including spray painting anti-Indigenous language and painting over the pride crosswalk.

    • Even on an average day, the intersection of Highway 17 at Highway 6 near Espanola is busy, but it鈥檚 especially steady on a Friday before a long weekend.

    • A 34-year-old in Sault Ste. Marie who was wanted for a probation violation was found this week with a switchblade, drugs, a digital scale and $5,170 in cash.

    N.L.

    Shopping Trends

    The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at 麻豆传媒. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.

    Stay Connected
    Follow 麻豆传媒