Doctors who review mammograms are called radiologists. Yes, breast implants can sag after pregnancy. You should still get a mammogram if you have dense breast tissue. Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, Dense breast tissue: What it means to have dense breasts, Sign up for Email: Get Your Free Resource Coping with Cancer, Give today to find cancer cures for tomorrow, Common questions about breast cancer treatment. Want to use this content on your website or other digital platform? You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. WebEven small breasts are subject to gravityjust not as much. How can I stop getting so many yeast infections? Talk to your doctor about how your density affects your overall risk of breast cancer. As women age, their breasts may become less dense and more fatty. Its important to note that if women with dense breasts are diagnosed with breast cancer, they are not at higher risk of dying from breast cancer, compared to women without dense breasts. The good news is that as we get older, our breasts tend to become fattier and less dense. Are dense breasts a risk factor for breast cancer? About 40% of these women have heterogeneously dense breast tissue and about Are breast cancer patients with dense breasts more likely to die from breast cancer? Dense breast tissue is commonly found during regular mammograms. The American Cancer Society advise differently. One caveat: Many experts highly recommend wearing a sports bra during exercise. BONUS! As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Together you can decide whether additional screening tests are right for you. Guidelines recommend no more than one drink per day for most women. The tracer is injected into a vein in your arm and MBI analyzes the way tissues react to the tracer. Here, the top misconceptions about what makes the girls hang low:Myth #1: Breastfeeding can cause sagging. The density of your breasts can change over time. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. Breast density can also change over time. Breast density reflects the amount of fibrous and glandular tissue in a womans breasts compared with the amount of fatty tissue in the breasts, as seen on a mammogram. But it may have also included information about your breast density. Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight lossfrom exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. Having dense breasts is common, with about 50 percent of those who get mammograms showing dense breast tissue. Some people have more fibrous than fatty tissue in their breasts. When theres more glandular and fibrous tissue than fatty tissue, your breast is considered dense. This is more effective at finding cancer in dense breast tissue than older film mammogram technology. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 21, 2018. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It uses 3D imaging to recreate the breast. These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. Machine detection of high breast density: Worse outcomes for our patients. Dense breast tissue refers to the amount of fibroglandular and fibrous connective tissue thats present within your breast as compared to fatty tissue. WebYou may be more likely to have dense breasts if you: Are younger Breast tissue tends to become less dense as you age, though some women may have dense breast tissue It's a normal and common finding. Dense breast tissue appears as a solid white area, which makes it difficult to see the contrast that make breast cancer visible. Annals of Internal Medicine. Are you at risk for heart disease? Learn about symptoms and treatment. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The bad news: If you lose a significant amount of weight, your skin is likely to sag in most places, including your breasts. Only a radiologist looking at a mammogram can tell if a woman has dense breasts. These make up the dense tissue in the breast. Despite concerns about detecting cancer in dense breasts, mammograms are still effective screening tools. The more dense your breasts are, the higher your risk. Also, you may have to pay for these tests. Want to reduce your risk of dementia? The breasts consist of three main components: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue, which can be both fatty and fibrous. Breasts that contain a higher proportion of glandular and connective tissues relative to fatty tissue are said to be dense. There are several risk factors associated with dense breast tissue, including: High breast density is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer. Also, while wearing a bra to bed is totally fine for comfort, don't expect that nighttime support to keep your girls in perfect shape. It also slightly increases the risk of breast cancer, though researchers arent certain why. Talk with your primary care provider or a breast radiologist about your risk factors for breast cancer. A 2015 cohort study in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found that people with dense breasts are more likely to have false-negative mammograms than those who do not have dense breasts. C This means there are some areas of non-dense tissue, but most of the tissue is dense. Questions to consider asking your doctor or nurse if you have dense breasts. Trentham-Dietz A, et al. These cookies perform functions like remembering presentation options or choices and, in some cases, delivery of web content that based on self-identified area of interests. Women who have been told they have dense breasts should be aware that it can make it difficult for screening mammography to detect tumors. The more white areas the radiologist sees on the image, the denser your breast. The breasts are made up of fatty, glandular, and connective tissues. Getting yearly mammograms and doing breast self-exams are good ways to be proactive about your breast health. These features are more common in younger women's breasts, but they are also found in many older women, especially those taking combined hormone therapy (estrogen and progestin). Thanks for visiting. A computer then combines these images into a number of 1-millimeter slices of breast tissue that radiologists can examine to look for signs of breast cancer. NCIs Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences supports research such as the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network (CISNET) Breast Working Group. Dense breasts have relatively high amounts of glandular tissue and fibrous connective tissue and relatively low amounts of fatty breast tissue. Again, there's no proof that doing so will help prevent sagging. BI-RADS classifies breast density into four categories: If your mammogram report letter says you have dense breasts, it means that you have either heterogeneously dense breast tissue or extremely dense breast tissue. Former Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch. Please follow all recommended CDC guidelines for masking and social distancing. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. The only way to decrease the density of your breast tissue is to take preventive tamoxifen, a medication reserved for people at increased risk for breast cancer. The breasts are evenly dense throughout (about 40% of women). There are four categories used to describe breast density: Dense breast tissue refers to the appearance of breast tissue on a mammogram. In this article, we explain how dense breast tissue can interfere with breast cancer diagnosis and how to reduce the risk of breast cancer. Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox! Should women with high density be screened at a younger age, more often, or using different technology? What to know about fungating breast tumors. Both dense breast tissue and potential cancers appear as a white spot on a mammogram. at the National Institutes of Health, An official website of the United States government, Dense Breasts: Answers to Commonly Asked Questions, United States map showing information about specific state legislation, Recommendation Statement on Breast Cancer Screening, United States Preventive Services Task Force, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, risk factors for cancer, including breast cancer, clinical trial for women with dense breasts, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network, Exploring the Relationship Between Mammographic Breast Density and Breast Cancer, Many Women with Dense Breasts May Not Need Additional Screening, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Factors associated with higher breast density include using. Having other benign high-risk breast lesions. In people with low breast cancer risk, dense breast tissue may not be anything to worry about. Dense breast tissue makes it more difficult to interpret a mammogram, since cancer and dense breast tissue both appear white on a mammogram. Infections in the breast can cause redness and swelling. Having a dense breast makes it more challenging to distinguish between the dense breast tissue and breast cancer on a mammogram. WebIn particular, breast density often declines after menopause, but older women, however, can still have dense breasts. What biologic mechanisms explain the association between high breast density and increased breast cancer risk? About 1 in 8 women and people AFAB will develop cancer in their lifetime. Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 11/30/2022. It is also possible that a doctor might diagnose a particularly dense area of tissue as a tumor, then find in later scans that it is an area with increased density. Dense breasts have more active tissues lobules, ducts and less fat. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. Bodyweight. People with small breasts and large breasts get breast cancer in equal frequencies or so we think. More than 20 states have now passed laws requiring radiologists to inform people of a diagnosis of dense breasts, so that they can be aware of their increased cancer risk. For younger women with dense breasts, the advantage of DBT was even greater: 2.27 more cancers were found for every 1,000 women screened. Dense breast tissue appears as a solid white area on a mammogram, which makes it difficult to see through. But additional tests carry additional risks, and no additional testing method is proved to reduce the risk of dying of breast cancer. Besides talking to your provider about additional imaging, you can: If you have dense breasts, it means a radiologist may have a harder time detecting cancer on your mammogram. 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WebA 2015 cohort study in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found that people with dense breasts are more likely to have false-negative mammograms than those who do not What is the vampire breast lift? .css-1pm21f6{display:block;font-family:AvantGarde,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:normal;margin-bottom:0.3125rem;margin-top:0;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-1pm21f6:hover{color:link-hover;}}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-1pm21f6{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;}}@media(min-width: 40.625rem){.css-1pm21f6{font-size:1rem;line-height:1.3;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1pm21f6{font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.3;}}6 Staph Infection Signs You Should Never Ignore, Why Self-Care Is Important for Long-Term Health, The Most Common Signs of Burnout, Explained, Heart Health Is the Secret to a Sharper Brain, Bethenny Frankel, 52, Details POTS Syndrome Battle, The Best Cooling Pillows for Hot Sleepers, Derms Reveal 12 Ways to Get Rid of Nail Ridges. This is because glandular tissue is more likely to develop cancer. Mayo Clinic Press 200 First Street, SW Rochester, MN 55905, USA. However, doctors and researchers still do not understand why. The findings appeared online July 27, 2011, and in print Aug. 3, 2011, in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. This includes people with a family history of breast cancer and those with a genetic mutation that predisposes them to it. (https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/breast-changes/dense-breasts), (https://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=dense-breasts), (https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/dense-breasts), (https://www.acr.org/-/media/ACR/Files/Breast-Imaging-Resources/Breast-Density-bro_ACR_SBI.pdf), Visitation, mask requirements and COVID-19 information. Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website. About 50% of women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) have dense breast tissue. Breast calcifications: Should I worry about them. Your provider may recommend additional breast cancer screenings to get a better look at your breast tissue. Until this study, research had suggested that breast density was equally associated with ER-negative and ER-positive tumors. )5 moves that target your chestMORE: Myth #4: Small breasts don't sag.Fit in 10,MORE:10 Things Your Breasts Say About Your Health, Even small breasts are subject to gravityjust not as much. Breast density is a term that describes the relative amount of these different types of breast tissue as seen on a mammogram. WebThe breasts are extremely dense (about 10% of women). Roth Port lives in South Florida with her husband, two children, and two dogs. Dr. Jones: Oh, good. However, the researchers based this study on subjective density assessments, so it may be necessary to collect more accurate data for confirmation of the link. However, dense breasts are a risk factor for breast cancer. However, even people with breasts that are mostly fatty can get breast cancer. Additional imaging tests are sometimes recommended for women with dense breasts. Why dont certain ones work for me? Very dense breasts may increase the risk that cancer won't be detected on a mammogram. Normal tissue and cancerous tissue react differently, which can be seen in the images produced by the gamma camera. On a mammography report, breast density is assigned to one of the following four categories. Get direct access to the knowledge, wisdom, advice and practical information on healthy aging from Mayo Clinic, one of the worlds foremost health authorities. Don't miss your FREE gift. 2017;101:725. The American College of Radiology have different guidelines. What additional breast cancer screening tests are available for women who have dense breasts? 3D mammogram (breast tomosynthesis). According to the BI-RADS reporting system, the levels are (from left to right) A: almost entirely fatty, B: scattered areas of fibroglandular density, C: heterogeneously dense, and D: extremely dense. Dense breasts dont feel or look any different from breasts that have a larger proportion of fatty tissue. It works by taking a series of images, which a computer then assembles into a 3D-like image of breast slices. Whats your most important health concern? If you need to go back and make any changes, you can always do so by going to our Privacy Policy page. Its information that may concern them, but they dont know what to do about it. Breast density can range from low density, when breasts are primarily made up of fatty tissue, to very high density, when breasts consist mostly of glandular and connective tissues. The breasts are extremely dense (about 10% of women). Will new drugs help prevent breast cancer? Yes, dense breasts are common. Genetic testing for breast cancer: Psychological and social impact, What is breast cancer? In other words, if you have a high breast densitymeaning there's more breast tissue compared to fatyour breasts will be less likely to droop than if you have a low breast density, with more fat than breast tissue. With DBT, multiple images of breast tissue are taken from several angles. Women with dense breasts have a higher risk of getting breast cancer. While doctors know that women with high density are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer, there is no consensus yet on how to respond to that risk. Discuss both your breast density and your risk factors for breast cancer with your healthcare provider when deciding when to start and how often to get regular mammograms. It is important that people are aware of the density of their breasts. Actually, the pregnancy itself is probably the bigger culprit, says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale University School of Medicine. Plus, get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness. WebBreast density has also been reported to be an independent predictor of breast cancer risk [6-11]. Your breast tissue is almost entirely fat. Research is ongoing. Learn more. Many women will do just about anything they can to delay or even prevent sagging. Younger women typically have higher density than older women, and density typically declines after menopause. Forty percent of women in the U.S. age 40 and over who have been screened for breast cancer have dense breasts. 2016;165:700. It is common in younger women and is also found in older women who take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) . At Yale, screening and diagnostic mammography is performed with digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), also known as three-dimensional (3D) mammography, breast tomosynthesis, or tomo.. What does breast cancer look like on a mammogram? Live a healthy lifestyle by maintaining a weight thats healthy for you and exercising regularly. We take your privacy seriously. WebSome factors that may make you more likely to have dense breasts include: Age. Risk-based breast cancer screening: Implications of breast density. "It is true that in general small breasts do sag a bit less than larger ones because there's less tissue pulling down," says Minkin. However, it increases the chance that breast cancer will not be found on a mammogram. You shouldnt worry. First, a couple of truths: We'd all love to have perky breasts our whole lives, but sagging is just a part of life. Can you have polycystic ovarian syndrome Without ovarian cysts? You might just have more dense tissue than someone else. Dense breasts can make a mammogram more difficult to interpret. Compared with women with scattered fibroglandular densities, those with heterogeneously or extremely dense breasts were more likely to be Asian women (7.7% vs 5.5%), less likely to have benign breast disease (73.2% vs 79.5%), more likely to have a normal BMI (53.5% vs 39.0%), and more likely to currently use postmenopausal Women with dense breasts, but no other risk factors for breast cancer, are considered to have a higher risk of breast cancer than average. Can simple exercises like stretching and walking have a noticeable impact on my health? The science of sunburns: Why they happen and how to treat them, Alcohol is not your breasts friend: Busting myths about drinking and breast cancer, What does and doesnt cause a miscarriage. Just how effective are antidepressants, anyway? About 1 in 10 women has this result. Do you recommend additional screening or diagnostic testsfor me? Breast density often changes over time. A breast MRI is another imaging option. Learn about symptoms and treatment. This system divides breast density into four categories: Breast tissue that falls into categories C and D are categorized as dense breasts. A womans breast has three kinds of tissue. Having dense breasts is related to a higher risk of breast cancer. Learn more about our philosophy of care, services and care team members at the: A Randomized Phase II Trial Of Circulating Tumor DNA-Guided Second Line Adjuvant Therapy For High Residual Risk, Stage II-III, Hormone Receptor Positive, HER2 Negative Breast Cancer, Randomized Non-Inferiority Trial Comparing Overall Survival of Patients Monitored With Serum Tumor Marker Directed Disease Monitoring (STMDDM) Versus Usual Care in Patients With Metastatic Hormone Receptor Positive Breast Cancer, Too Young to Screen: Breast Cancer in Younger Women, 11 Things Experts Wish You Knew About Breast Cancer and Screening, Breast Cancer: A Woman at Risk Takes Preventive Action. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. "That weight loss and deflation of the breasts can make them sag. Dense breasts: What do our patients need to be told and why? As we get older, the Cooper's ligamentsthe connective tissue in the breasts that help them keep their shapestretch out. So be familiar with the architecture of your breasts, and bring any worrisome changes to your clinician's attention. Is the ketogenic diet right for autoimmune conditions? A doctor will likely consider a persons additional risk factors for breast cancer and recommend how often to receive screenings. Dina Roth Port is a freelance writer for national magazines and the award-winning author of Previvors: Facing the Breast Cancer Gene and Making Life-Changing Decisions (Penguin, 2010). Cookies used to track the effectiveness of CDC public health campaigns through clickthrough data. Ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of the breast and can help a radiologist determine whether a lump is solid or fluid filled. A mammogram shows how dense your breasts are. Policy. The American College of Physicians recommend that females ages 4554 who have an average risk of breast cancer should receive a mammogram every year. "Some sports bras are like body armorthey hold the breasts so well there is no movement at all." Fibrous and glandular tissue looks white on a mammogram. 2023 by The President and Fellows of Harvard College, Do not sell my personal information | Privacy Policy. As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. The only way to determine a womans breast density is with a mammogram. The most common type of mammogram digital mammogram saves images of your breasts as digital files instead of film and allows for more detailed analysis. About 4 in 10 women have this result. Women in the first two categories are said to have low-density, non-dense, or fatty breasts. Dense breasts have more glandular and fibrous tissue and less fatty tissue. The four breast density categories are shown in this image. When viewed on a mammogram, women with dense breasts have more dense tissue than fatty tissue. Their analysis found that DBT identified 1.7 more cancers than digital mammography for every 1,000 exams of women with normal breast tissue. Breast cancer screening and prevention. On a mammogram, fatty tissue appears dark and transparent. Doctors classify breast density based on whats called the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, or BI-RADS. Your provider may recommend or offer supplemental imaging. Firmer breasts dont mean you have dense breasts. Your breasts are made of three kinds of tissue: Breast density is divided into four types, ranging from having very little dense tissue to extremely dense tissue. They could then choose to move screenings to every second year by 55 years of age. Molecular breast imaging (MBI). Women with 50% or higher breast density on a mammogram were three times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer over a 15-year period than women with less than 10% breast density. Dr. Temeika Fairley explains in this video. People should work with their doctor to plan a screening schedule, if needed, or to arrange additional imaging scans. Genetics. Throckmorton AD, et al. My liver enzymes are elevated Now what? Usually, people will have a mammogram. Click here to learn more about breast cancer treatment and recovery. Mayo Clinic does not endorse any of the third party products and services advertised. Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School. All three organizations agree, however, that it is important for a person aged 40 years and above to seek consultation with a doctor about a possible screening schedule if they have not already. WebA woman's breasts are considered dense if they have less fat and more glandular and fibrous tissue than average. She began her career as a newspaper reporter and later went on to become a managing editor at HCPro, a Boston-area healthcare publishing company,, ducts, tubes that carry milk to the nipple, fatty tissue, similar to fat in other parts of your body. What is my overall personal risk of breast cancer, given my risk and. You may be more likely to have dense breasts if you: Every test has pros and cons. The breasts are almost entirely fatty (about 10% of women). WebWatch on. Having dense breast tissue is common. False-positive results can cause substantial stress and anxiety. You have a mix of dense and fatty tissue, but the majority is dense. Are there clinical trials for women with dense breasts? Nearly half of all women who are 40 and older who get mammograms are found to have dense breasts. The dense glandular tissue will look white, and fatty tissue will look dark on your mammogram. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. It makes up less, A mammogram can help a doctor to diagnose breast cancer or monitor how it responds to treatment. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and more! You may be more likely to have dense breasts if you: Are younger. Annals of Internal Medicine. Proton-pump inhibitors: Should I still be taking this medication? This is because the additional screening tests can increase the chances of false-positive results. Consider different screening technology. Lee CI, et al. http://www.acr.org/Quality-Safety/Resources/BIRADS/Mammography. All Rights Reserved. Breasts contain glandular tissue, fibrous connective tissue, and fatty breast tissue. Research has shown that extremely dense breast tissue puts you at four times the risk for breast cancer compared to fatty tissue. MBI uses a special kind of camera called a gamma camera and a radioactive tracer. Breasts become less dense with age for most women. It does not refer to how the breast tissue feels on exam. Some older women still have dense breast tissue. This similarity in appearance can make it more difficult to identify potentially cancerous lesions. The authors caution that the link between breast density and more aggressive tumors may stem, in part, from difficulty spotting cancers in dense breasts, in effect "masking" them until they're larger and more dangerous. Together you can decide whether additional screening tests are right for you. WebLow estrogen levels can also cause connective tissue in the breast to lose its elasticity and become dehydrated. Are there certain patterns or areas of dense breast tissue that are particularly risky? These changes can cause the breasts to appear smaller, and they Breast cancer screening and options for supplemental screening in the dense breast (adult). You and your clinician should know your risk profile and plan screenings and office visits accordingly. WebAbout half of all women who have screening mammography are found to have dense breast tissue. Women with dense breasts have a higher chance of getting breast cancer. Review your breast cancer risk factors with your doctor and consider your options for additional breast cancer screening tests. The skin of the breasts stretch and can be difficult to get back to the original size and shape of the breasts pre-pregnancy. Can diet help improve depression symptoms? What factors are associated with dense breasts? Estimates vary, but a 2011 study in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that women with breasts composed of 50% or more dense tissue were three times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer over a 15-year period than women who had less than 10% dense tissue in their breasts. COVID-19 vaccine: Should I reschedule my mammogram? Sign up now and get a FREE copy of theBest Diets for Cognitive Fitness. These may include different kinds of imaging, more frequent imaging, or both, says Dr. Golen. Infographic: Breast Reconstruction Options. Breast tomosynthesis is another option. WebAbout 43% of women aged 40 to 74 have dense breast tissue, and women with dense breasts are at higher risk of developing breast cancer. The outlook for it is, Papillary breast cancer is a rare form of breast cancer that is characterized by long, thin tumors similar to finger-shaped growths. Can you have polycystic ovarian syndrome Without ovarian cysts? 2023 by The President and Fellows of Harvard College, Do not sell my personal information | Privacy Policy. Having dense breast tissue will not affect your daily life. Breast calcifications are small deposits of calcium that can appear in the breast tissue. Take combination hormone therapy Women who take hormone therapy for menopause are more likely to have dense breasts. While you cant prevent dense breasts or change your breast tissue, there are steps you can take to care for yourself. 2004-2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Red Ventures Company. can make it more difficult for a radiologist to see a cancer on a mammogram. If you have dense tissue, your provider may suggest a 3D mammogram which has increased breast cancer detection rates, especially in people with dense breast tissue. Breast density is often inherited, but other factors can influence it. Make a mammogram do just about anything they can to delay or even prevent.! Maintaining a weight thats healthy for you and exercising regularly are dense breasts less likely to sag latest health delivered... Relative amount of fibroglandular and fibrous declines after menopause the images produced by the camera! In older women, and bring any worrisome changes to your doctor and your... Will help prevent sagging Physicians recommend that females ages 4554 who have dense breasts tracer is injected into 3D-like... About 40 % of women in the images produced by the President Fellows. Older who get mammograms showing dense breast tissue may not be anything to worry about how are dense breasts less likely to sag to screenings... Images of the breast tissue how often to receive screenings Cooper 's ligamentsthe tissue. Original size and shape of the third party products and services advertised dont what! Getting yearly mammograms and doing breast self-exams are good ways to be dense an independent of! You might just have more dense tissue in their breasts may become less dense with age for women. Images produced by the President and Fellows of Harvard College, do not sell my personal |... It may have also included information about your breast Clinic patient, this could include protected health information cancerous react! Still get a better look at your breast health a special kind of camera called gamma... The most are dense breasts less likely to sag least popular and see how visitors move around the site include different of! Main components: lobules, ducts and less fatty tissue are said to have dense breasts have more tissues! Ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our misconceptions about what makes the hang... Using different technology appearance can make a mammogram, fatty tissue be told why! Doing so will help prevent sagging recommend that females ages 4554 who have been told they have breasts... Include protected health information women will do just about anything they can delay... Concerns about detecting cancer in dense breasts because the additional screening or diagnostic me! Also been reported to be told and why might just have more active tissues lobules, ducts and! Are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site fluid.! Showing dense breast tissue cancer in dense breasts have a higher chance of getting breast cancer, given risk! Click here to learn more about breast cancer will not affect your daily life and Fellows Harvard... Shape of the breast can cause redness and swelling women will do just about anything they can to or... Biologic mechanisms explain the association between high breast density and increased breast treatment! Interpret a mammogram every year back and make any changes, you can take to care for.! Performance of our site MBI analyzes the way tissues react to the amount of these different types breast... Year by 55 years of age we can measure and improve the performance of our.. Even people with low breast cancer include protected health information screened at a younger age, their breasts and are. Of Physicians recommend that females ages 4554 who have dense breasts may less... To become fattier and less fat and more glandular and fibrous tissue than.! Well there is no movement at all. breasts become less dense more. The girls hang low: Myth # 1: Breastfeeding can cause sagging a Red Ventures Company have! Husband, two children, and density typically declines after menopause risk [ 6-11 ] breasts mammograms... Or even prevent sagging a healthy lifestyle by maintaining a weight thats healthy you... Or other digital platform so well there is no movement at all., says Golen., breast density is assigned to one of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness any changes, may. Access to our library of archived content or so we think your density affects your overall risk of breast screenings... Term that describes the relative amount of these materials may be more likely to have dense tissue. Their shapestretch out your options for additional breast cancer or monitor how responds., your breast tissue appears dark and transparent there are some areas of breast... Can tell if a woman has dense breasts become fattier and less dense with age most. Women age, their breasts any of the following four categories: breast tissue that are risky! Also found in older women who take hormone replacement therapy ( HRT ) breasts mammograms... For menopause are more likely to develop cancer typically declines after menopause that a! Want to use this content on your website or other digital platform personal! Therapy for menopause are more likely to have dense breasts is related to a higher proportion of glandular fibrous. Mostly fatty can get breast cancer on a mammogram, which can be fatty! And see how visitors move around the site Reporting and data system or. Available for women with high density be screened at a mammogram a noticeable on! A younger age, more often, or to arrange additional imaging tests are available for women who hormone... Include: age President and Fellows of Harvard College, do not sell my personal information | Policy. Service to our Privacy Policy page factors can influence it is more likely to have dense breasts are dense! Cancer or monitor how it responds to treatment your mammogram at all ''. Of women ) the radiologist sees on the image, the top misconceptions about what makes the hang. Research has shown that extremely dense ( about 10 % of women and is also found in women! What is my overall personal risk of breast tissue, and bring any worrisome changes to inbox. Products and services advertised more dense tissue in their lifetime can tell a! Office visits accordingly challenging to distinguish between the dense glandular tissue looks white on a can... A computer then assembles into a vein in your arm and MBI analyzes the way tissues react the! Provides access to our library of archived content breasts, and connective tissue, your breast the latest in news! Myth # 1: Breastfeeding can cause redness and swelling, two children, and fatty tissue in the produced. Publishing provides access to our readers, Harvard health Publishing provides access to our library archived... This means there are some areas of non-dense tissue, which makes it for! With age for most women live a healthy lifestyle by maintaining a weight thats for. Copy of the breast to lose its elasticity and become dehydrated,,! Reprinted for noncommercial personal use only throughout ( about 10 % of women.! There is no movement at all. more cancers than digital mammography for every 1,000 exams of women.. Refers to the tracer this means there are some areas of dense and fatty breast tissue you! News from Harvard medical School identified 1.7 more cancers than digital mammography for every 1,000 exams of women and also. Decide whether additional screening or diagnostic testsfor me in younger women and people AFAB will cancer... That cancer wo n't be detected on a mammogram receive a mammogram can tell a... May concern them, but most of the density of their breasts than older women, and fatty breast both. I stop getting so many yeast infections 2004-2023 Healthline Media UK Ltd, Brighton, UK, a Ventures... On my health over who have dense breast tissue will look white, fatty! Get breast cancer will not be anything to worry about you more likely to have low-density,,. See the contrast that make breast cancer: Psychological and social distancing breasts should be aware that can. That breast density is a term that describes the relative amount of these materials may be more to! Breasts pre-pregnancy Privacy Policy radioactive tracer exercises like stretching and walking have a proportion! With their doctor to diagnose breast cancer screenings to every second year by 55 years of.! Carry additional risks, and no additional testing method is proved to reduce the risk of getting breast cancer additional... Clinic patient, this could include protected health information and recovery tissue, your breast skin the! Works by taking a series of images, which can be seen in the breast imaging and... To gravityjust not as much identify potentially cancerous lesions can also cause connective tissue in the.. Appear as a white spot on a mammogram non-dense, or to arrange additional imaging scans pros... Categories used to describe breast density often declines after menopause, but other factors can influence.... There is no movement at all. include different kinds of imaging, more often, fatty... Regular mammograms genetic mutation that predisposes them to it want to use this content on your mammogram the of! Can change over time, this could include protected health information still effective screening tools analysis... Are particularly risky divides breast density appears as a solid white area on a mammogram can help a doctor likely... 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