There are several confusing topics for women when it comes to their breast health such as how often they should be screened with a mammogram, what age to start getting their mammograms, or how often they should have a mammogram. One of the newer discussions that has emerged recently is if women should be told that they have dense breast tissue. Several states have even moved a step further and are mandating that women be told this information. I believe that the states should go beyond this when passing the law and require insurance companies to pay for supplemental testing of these women who fall into this category and have additional risk factors.
When a woman has dense breast tissue, this is not something that can be felt or seen
…show more content…
There are several factors that contribute to having dense breast tissue. Some of these are related to age, genetics, hormone levels, how old a patient was when they first had a baby, the use of hormone replacement, or weight (Attai, 2014). Are you Dense Advocacy reports that overall, 40% of women fall into the dense category.
Radiologists have long been required to report the breast density of the patient in his or her report that is sent to the referring physician. Most physicians never communicated the breast density back to the patient. They knew that mammograms are governed by the Mammography Quality Standard Act (MQSA) and patients are required to get lay results of their mammogram, but the MQSA did not require them to be told of their breast density. Several states now require that patients be told of their breast density in these letters. In these letters patients are told what their results are along with a statement that says something similar to the 2013 State of Alabama law that says "Your mammogram shows that your breast tissue is dense. Dense breast tissue is very common and is not abnormal. However, dense breast tissue may make it harder to find cancer on a mammogram and may also be associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. This information about the result of your mammogram is given to you to raise your awareness. Use this information to talk to your doctor about your own risks for
This poster urges the importance of getting examined early so the risk of breast cancer greatly diminishes.
The current recommendation is that women over the age of 40 should receive a mammogram every 1-2 years (Kidd, Colbert & Jatoi, 2015). Breast cancer mortality is higher in ethnic minorities including, Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans (O’Keefe, Meltzer, & Bethea, 2015). With Black, Hispanic, Asian, and White women with breast cancer in a low socioeconomic status, there is also an association with higher mortality rates (O’Keefe et al., 2015). The causes for these disparities is multifactorial and include knowledge deficit, incorrect perceptions about cancer, embarrassment, and prioritization of competing personal obligations, such as working or taking care of family members (Nonzee, et al., 2015). To add to the problem, minority women are much more likely to have high deductible insurance plans, or no insurance coverage at all (Tangka, et al., 2017). These issues lead to later stages of diagnosis of breast cancer, going longer between mammograms, lack of follow-up after suspicious findings on mammograms, and once diagnosed, incomplete treatment of breast cancer (O’Keefe et al.,
Nurse Practitioner Veneta Masson, author of “Why I don’t Get Mammograms” argues the topic of how routine mammograms don’t save lives. Masson being a health care professional has been well educated on maintaining optimum health and preventing disease. Though she may have the knowledge and awareness, she however uses faulty generalizations as to why she does not receive annual mammogram
Describe the three-pronged approach to early detection of breast masses: mammography, clinical breast exam, and self-awareness.
Fibrocystic breast changes are changes that can cause breasts to become swollen or painful. These changes occur when tiny sacs filled with fluid form in the breast. This is a common condition. It does not mean that you have cancer. It usually happens because of changes brought about by a woman's monthly period.
The Author reports that the new recommended age for mammograms, by the United States Preventative Services Task Force, has changed from 50 to 40 to reduce the harm from over screening and overtreatment. It also reports that self-breast examinations are no longer recommended on a regular basis. This recommendation comes from evidence that there are no major benefits of early screenings and that only “one cancer death is prevented for every 1,904 women” screened, age 40 to 49. Conversely, there is evidence that frequent early screenings can lead to overtreatment
In today’s society, women are not getting their mammograms done because they feel they are not necessary or because they are afraid of the results of the mammograms. Since women do not get their mammograms done, they are exposed to breast cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, women who get mammograms, reduce about “15% to 20% in mortality from breast cancer” (“National Cancer Institute” 1). If women would increase the rate of getting mammograms, there will be less deaths in women.
If you've had a mammogram before, the radiologist will compare your old mammogram to the new one to look for changes. While they're looking for possible cancer, your doctors may also come across other structures in the breast that deserve further investigation. Calcifications which are tiny flecks of calcium which look like grains of salt located in the soft tissue of the breast that can sometimes indicate the presence of an early breast cancer. Calcifications usually can't be felt, but they appear on a mammogram. Cystsis another mass found in the breast but unlike cancerous tumors which are solid, cysts are fluid-filled masses in the breast. Cysts are very common, and are rarely associated with cancer. Also fibroadenomas can be found these are movable, solid, rounded lumps made up of normal breast cells. While not cancerous, these lumps may grow. And any solid lump that's getting bigger is usually removed to make sure that it's not a cancer. Fibroads are commonly found in young people. {text:bookmark-start} (Breast Cancer, 2007) {text:bookmark-end} There is some much emphasis on breast cancer in woman. Men can also be diagnosed with breast cancer. It is not as common in men as women but it is possible. Male breast cancer is a rare condition, accounting for only about 1% of all breast cancers. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 1690 new cases of male breast cancer will be diagnosed
A female breast consists of fatty and fibrous connective tissues. The interior of the breast is divided into about twenty different sections called lobes. Each of the lobes is further divided in to lobules, which are structures that contain small milk-producing glands. These glands place the milk into tiny ducts. These ducts take the milk through out the breast and store in a chamber located below the nipple.
These are facts that people has been through. People that smoke, consume alcohol regularly, and people who have a history of breast cancer in their immediate family are at risk the most. Women should be informed to catch any deadly tumors or growths before it is too late. Many women do not realize the risks or are even not aware of their family history. These are all reasons why they should regularly be screened.
Currently mammography and ultrasound are basic imaging techniques for detection and localization of breast tumor. Breast Ultrasound is a typically painless medical test that uses reflected sound waves for further evaluation of a breast abnormality or a specific area seen on mammography. Ultrasound can locate and measure abnormalities or changes to determine if a breast lump is solid or filled with fluid. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast which may find tumors that are too small to feel. Women aged 40 to 74 years should have annual screening mammograms to lower chance of dying from breast cancer(2,15).Mammograms are less likely to find breast tumors in women younger than 50 years. This may
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the US. About 40,000 women die from breast cancer each year, making it “the second leading cause of cancer death among women” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, n.d.). The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010) requires insurers to “provide coverage for and shall not impose any cost sharing requirements for” preventive services which are “in the current recommendation of the United States Preventive Services Task Force” (USPSTF). Nevertheless, the ACA makes an exception for breast cancer screening by stating that the USPSTF’s recommendation regarding mammogram “shall be considered the most current other than those issued in or around November 2009”. By using this legislative tool, the federal government mandates health insurers to provide coverage for annual or biennial mammograms in women aged 40 and older (US Preventive Services Task Force, 2013).
Three-quarters of all breast cancer patients are not in any of the groups considered at increased risk for breast cancer, indicating that not all risk factors are understood. As a result, doctors recommend that every woman should familiarize herself with the techniques for monthly breast self-examination. X-ray examination of the breasts, a technique called mammography, can detect tumors before they are large enough to be felt and increase the odds for successful treatment. The American Cancer Society recommends that women over age 40
women normal breast tissue have a density of carcinoma. It very difficult to tell which is
A few infections like breast cancer or respiratory conditions like tuberculosis can also make breasts sag. Likewise, excessive utilization of nicotine, liquor