Got dense boobies?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't worry much about it. Lots of women have dense breasts and just get mammograms. The risk of missing a tumor is quite low. From this point on, they will be looking for changes from one mammogram image to another. Research is also showing that while cancers can be detected earlier with mammogram, the death rates have not changed, meaning those that are aggressive will continue to be aggressive (i.e. come back, etc).

Just do a monthly check and report any lumps. My doc said they are distinctive as they often feel like a rooted pebble, rather than a round, rubbery movable ball, which is more likely to be a cyst.

This is a myth, that cancer doesn't move. In the old days it wasn't detected until it attached to the chest wall but these days thats rarely the case. My breast cancer moved. It was also bigger than a pebble. I'm pretty shocked a doctor is paying on this info.

My cancer was not picked up by a mammogram because of dense breasts. I agree that the benefit of mammograms has been overstated but they do have a benefit and if your breasts are dense you should supplement with an MRI or 3D ultrasound.

When he said pebble, he was talking texture, not size. As for movability, not sure. I can tell you that he's correct regarding what's more likely to be cystic and what isn't.

I think one has to balance risk vs. witch hunt.

I am sure about movability. I had breast cancer -- it was movable. My breast surgeon told me movability means nothing. This is really, really important. In terms of texture, if the tumor is buried under enough breast tissue you won't feel its texture and it can feel rubbery. Honestly, a doctor shouldn't be telling you how to distinguish cancer from a cyst because that should be a doctor's call, not the patient's. If you find a lump you should never, ever dismiss it on its own. And even if a doctor feels something that he thinks is a cyst, it should be checked out with imaging and probably a biopsy. Your doctor is giving you dangerous misinformation.

[Anonymous]

If you have dense breasts, do they usually inform you of this after the mammogram? Just wondering because PP mentioned she gets a letter from them...

[Anonymous]

I had my first mammo at 35 as a lump was detected during my annual exam. The lump was attributed to dense breasts due to my age. My understanding is that as you get older, the tissue is less dense.

OP, could your age be contributing to the mammo results?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't worry much about it. Lots of women have dense breasts and just get mammograms. The risk of missing a tumor is quite low. From this point on, they will be looking for changes from one mammogram image to another. Research is also showing that while cancers can be detected earlier with mammogram, the death rates have not changed, meaning those that are aggressive will continue to be aggressive (i.e. come back, etc).

Just do a monthly check and report any lumps. My doc said they are distinctive as they often feel like a rooted pebble, rather than a round, rubbery movable ball, which is more likely to be a cyst.

This is a myth, that cancer doesn't move. In the old days it wasn't detected until it attached to the chest wall but these days thats rarely the case. My breast cancer moved. It was also bigger than a pebble. I'm pretty shocked a doctor is paying on this info.

My cancer was not picked up by a mammogram because of dense breasts. I agree that the benefit of mammograms has been overstated but they do have a benefit and if your breasts are dense you should supplement with an MRI or 3D ultrasound.

Mine was moveable as well. It was large and elongated - not a small pebble. In fact, I delayed getting it checked out right away because of my impression that cancer would present with a fixed, hard lump.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you have dense breasts, do they usually inform you of this after the mammogram? Just wondering because PP mentioned she gets a letter from them...

They do typically become less dense but not always. I am post-menopausal and still have dense breasts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't worry much about it. Lots of women have dense breasts and just get mammograms. The risk of missing a tumor is quite low. From this point on, they will be looking for changes from one mammogram image to another. Research is also showing that while cancers can be detected earlier with mammogram, the death rates have not changed, meaning those that are aggressive will continue to be aggressive (i.e. come back, etc).

Just do a monthly check and report any lumps. My doc said they are distinctive as they often feel like a rooted pebble, rather than a round, rubbery movable ball, which is more likely to be a cyst.

This is a myth, that cancer doesn't move. In the old days it wasn't detected until it attached to the chest wall but these days thats rarely the case. My breast cancer moved. It was also bigger than a pebble. I'm pretty shocked a doctor is paying on this info.

My cancer was not picked up by a mammogram because of dense breasts. I agree that the benefit of mammograms has been overstated but they do have a benefit and if your breasts are dense you should supplement with an MRI or 3D ultrasound.

When he said pebble, he was talking texture, not size. As for movability, not sure. I can tell you that he's correct regarding what's more likely to be cystic and what isn't.

I think one has to balance risk vs. witch hunt.

I am sure about movability. I had breast cancer -- it was movable. My breast surgeon told me movability means nothing. This is really, really important. In terms of texture, if the tumor is buried under enough breast tissue you won't feel its texture and it can feel rubbery. Honestly, a doctor shouldn't be telling you how to distinguish cancer from a cyst because that should be a doctor's call, not the patient's. If you find a lump you should never, ever dismiss it on its own. And even if a doctor feels something that he thinks is a cyst, it should be checked out with imaging and probably a biopsy. Your doctor is giving you dangerous misinformation.

Um, that's a given. While I appreciate that you have breast cancer, it frustrates me that this has now become a lecture on your part. I see this a lot, i.e. "It happened to me so....".. The reality is, the information he is giving me is fine. It's up to me to not ignore anything that is not normal for my breasts. I have cystic breasts, so yeah, he should be familiarizing me with when to raise alarm bells.

I'm MUCH more concerned with the grey area mammograms throw many women into and the stress so many false alarms cause then I am about the possibility that I will get breast cancer. Given my genetics, I will probably drop dead of a heart attack first.

[Anonymous]

I think every woman is told she has dense breasts. Is there anyone who does NOT have dense breasts?

[Anonymous]

Don't breasts typically become less dense after breastfeeding? Mine did. Mammos used to be very painful and always resulted in callbacks. Now that all my tissue has been replaced with fat, mammos are painless and they seem to get good images more easily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think every woman is told she has dense breasts. Is there anyone who does NOT have dense breasts?

I've had 3 mammograms. This is the first time I was old I had dense breasts. I'm now 49.

[Anonymous]

So if you don't have dense breasts, what do you have?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't worry much about it. Lots of women have dense breasts and just get mammograms. The risk of missing a tumor is quite low. From this point on, they will be looking for changes from one mammogram image to another. Research is also showing that while cancers can be detected earlier with mammogram, the death rates have not changed, meaning those that are aggressive will continue to be aggressive (i.e. come back, etc).

Just do a monthly check and report any lumps. My doc said they are distinctive as they often feel like a rooted pebble, rather than a round, rubbery movable ball, which is more likely to be a cyst.

This is a myth, that cancer doesn't move. In the old days it wasn't detected until it attached to the chest wall but these days thats rarely the case. My breast cancer moved. It was also bigger than a pebble. I'm pretty shocked a doctor is paying on this info.

My cancer was not picked up by a mammogram because of dense breasts. I agree that the benefit of mammograms has been overstated but they do have a benefit and if your breasts are dense you should supplement with an MRI or 3D ultrasound.

When he said pebble, he was talking texture, not size. As for movability, not sure. I can tell you that he's correct regarding what's more likely to be cystic and what isn't.

I think one has to balance risk vs. witch hunt.

I am sure about movability. I had breast cancer -- it was movable. My breast surgeon told me movability means nothing. This is really, really important. In terms of texture, if the tumor is buried under enough breast tissue you won't feel its texture and it can feel rubbery. Honestly, a doctor shouldn't be telling you how to distinguish cancer from a cyst because that should be a doctor's call, not the patient's. If you find a lump you should never, ever dismiss it on its own. And even if a doctor feels something that he thinks is a cyst, it should be checked out with imaging and probably a biopsy. Your doctor is giving you dangerous misinformation.

Um, that's a given. While I appreciate that you have breast cancer, it frustrates me that this has now become a lecture on your part. I see this a lot, i.e. "It happened to me so....".. The reality is, the information he is giving me is fine. It's up to me to not ignore anything that is not normal for my breasts. I have cystic breasts, so yeah, he should be familiarizing me with when to raise alarm bells.

I'm MUCH more concerned with the grey area mammograms throw many women into and the stress so many false alarms cause then I am about the possibility that I will get breast cancer. Given my genetics, I will probably drop dead of a heart attack first.

Its really not my experience because I had a conversation with my breast surgeon and he gave me the information. I think it makes perfect sense for the doctor to explain to you "this is what I'm feeling that is normal for you. If you feel a change get it checked out." But passing on the idea of lack of movability could lead women astray. Also, I would suggest you get a clinical exam by a breast surgeon as they are the only ones who really know what they are feeling. A "guide" to your breasts from a surgeon from just one visit could be really helpful. Finally, I'm glad you are dealing with this in spite of the hassle and the lack of family history. Thats another myth thats out there, especially now that there is a test for genetic breast cancer and they are trying to get the word out. But most breast cancer is not genetic. I had zero family history, zero. I was never afraid of breast cancer, I assumed I was safe. Thats anecdotal. I know, but of all the friends I made in breast cancer world, only one has the genetic mutation. What I heard over and over again was "no one in my family . . ."

[Anonymous]

Where I go for mammograms, GW, they don't just let you walk away if you have dense breasts. They will do a magnified view of an area if they can't see it clearly enough and if they can't see everything they have to see they will do an MRI or some other imaging. Thats why they're the best in the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So if you don't have dense breasts, what do you have?

You don't have a notation on your letter saying "Due to the fact that you have breast that are highly dense, it may be difficult for the reading to be totally accurate."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So if you don't have dense breasts, what do you have?

You don't have a notation on your letter saying "Due to the fact that you have breast that are highly dense, it may be difficult for the reading to be totally accurate."

6:23 again and even though I have dense breasts I've never had this because they ask for magnified views when they can't get a good image. I think this is unacceptable, "we can't see it very well, but oh well." At the very least a radiologist should have an actual conversation with you about how to proceed. if they don't offer to, you can call and insist on speaking with one. I've done that.

[Anonymous]

Some of us have very dense breasts, more so than the average woman of our age. The problem with the density is that it makes mammograms harder to read. Women's breast get less dense with age. Size of breast do not make a difference. I'm a DDD with very dense breasts.
Women with dense breasts are more likely to get a call back after the first mammogram as the radiologist is trying to establish a baseline.
Hope this helps!