If something happens by a Twist of Fate, it happens by chance and it is strange, interesting, or unfortunate in some way.
How often have we heard someone say, if only I had known I would have done something about it…..how often have you said it yourself?
If I had been told I had Dense Breasts I would have changed my Breast Cancer Screening Protocols. My Breast Cancer would have been found earlier at a more treatable stage, before it had spread to my lymph nodes.
7 out of 10 women do NOT know their breast density – Do you?
The sensitivity of mammography to detect breast cancer is reduced in women with Dense Breasts, because potential tumours, which are shown as white on a mammogram, can be masked by the white dense regions. http://www.InforMD.org.au It is also known that breast cancer is more likely to develop in women with dense breast tissue.
BreastCheck is the Irish Government-funded programme that provides free mammograms to age related eligible Irish women on a geographical area by area basis every two years.
The aim of BreastCheck is to reduce deaths from breast cancer by finding and treating the disease at an early stage.
As per BreastCheck Guidelines:
Regular breast screening means that if there are changes, they will be found as early as possible.
Finding a breast cancer when it is small normally means: There is a greater chance of treating the cancer successfully. It is less likely to have spread to other parts of the body. There may be more treatment options available
http://www.Beingdense.com is the Irish patient advocacy on Breast Density. We recognise that Mammography is the first step in screening for women.
Women with Dense Breasts are at Increased risk for developing breast cancer, Breast Density is a greater risk than familial risk.
Currently, in Ireland there are no clinical guidelines in place for the reporting of Breast Density
Discovering you have Dense Breasts should not be left to chance, or happen in a strange or unfortunate way.
A woman’s Breast Density can only be determined by mammography.
Download A Breast Density Request PDF ⬇️ from Beingdense
It’s cruel twist of fate when the person who can see you have this Breast Cancer risk, is not obliged to inform about it.
When the radiologist reading your mammogram can see that you have Dense Breasts, should you not be told? Beingdense advocates that all women should be advised of their breast density.
Interval Cancers are breast cancers that are discovered in the period between regular screening mammograms—Interval Cancers—are more likely to have features associated with aggressive behavior and a poorer prognosis than cancers found via screening mammograms. They are more likely to be late stage large tumors with nodal activity.
We are asking for the introduction of a Standardised Breast Density Category Notification, an Inform Policy, as part of our Breast Cancer screening mammography reporting.
Being Dense 