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Dense heterogenous breasts
Hi,
I am a 39 year old (turing 40 in a couple of months). My maternal grandmother died at 33 from metastasized breast cancer. Because of that family history, I chose to get my first baseline mammogram at age 35, and have gotten 2 since then. They have been normal, but on my recent mammogram report, it was noted that I have dense heterogenous breasts. After researching it a bit, I found that it is not necessarily uncommon for women under 50 to have dense heterogenous breasts, but it was suggested that women with average to high risk for breast cancer have an ultrasound once a year in addition to a normal mammogram. From what I read, mammograms rarely detect or OFTEN miss early tumors in women with dense herterogenous breasts, AND tumors are more likely to develop in dense breast tissue. . Because my family breast cancer was in my GRANDMOTHER, and not my mother or sister, I am still considered close to average risk, not high risk. If any medical professional or other woman here has any experience with this or could give advice on whether I should seek an ultrasound each year as well, your feedback would be greatly appreciated.
I am a 39 year old (turing 40 in a couple of months). My maternal grandmother died at 33 from metastasized breast cancer. Because of that family history, I chose to get my first baseline mammogram at age 35, and have gotten 2 since then. They have been normal, but on my recent mammogram report, it was noted that I have dense heterogenous breasts. After researching it a bit, I found that it is not necessarily uncommon for women under 50 to have dense heterogenous breasts, but it was suggested that women with average to high risk for breast cancer have an ultrasound once a year in addition to a normal mammogram. From what I read, mammograms rarely detect or OFTEN miss early tumors in women with dense herterogenous breasts, AND tumors are more likely to develop in dense breast tissue. . Because my family breast cancer was in my GRANDMOTHER, and not my mother or sister, I am still considered close to average risk, not high risk. If any medical professional or other woman here has any experience with this or could give advice on whether I should seek an ultrasound each year as well, your feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much for responding. I am not sure if my recent mammogram was standard or digital. I am going to contact the imaging center for that information. If it was standard, I am going to request a digital one for my next screen. Thank you very much for the advice!
Michelle
Michelle
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello,
With a standard mammogram, dense tissue appears light, the same as tumors, so it can mask the cancer. So you can get a digital mammogram done.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.
With a standard mammogram, dense tissue appears light, the same as tumors, so it can mask the cancer. So you can get a digital mammogram done.
It is very difficult to precisely confirm a diagnosis without examination and investigations and the answer is based on the medical information provided. For exact diagnosis, you are requested to consult your doctor. I sincerely hope that helps. Take care and please do keep me posted on how you are doing.
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