Understanding Dense Breast Tissue

Dense breast tissue is both common and normal — affecting about 40% of women over age 40. But it’s important to understand, because breast density can:

• Increase breast cancer risk

• Make cancers harder to detect on a mammogram..

 

Since density changes with age and other factors, knowing where you fall on the scale helps you and your provider make more informed decisions about screening and follow-up care.

​

Impact on Screening Outcomes

Because dense tissue can hide cancers, women with dense breasts may experience:

• Cancers being found between mammograms (interval cancers)

• Larger tumors when detected

• Greater chance of lymph node involvement

• More cases where cancer is found in more than one area of the breast