US women must be told breast density after mammogram, says FDA

Women in the US attending mammography services must be told whether they have dense breast tissue, which can make it harder to detect breast cancer and may require further tests, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ruled.12Several states already require mammography facilities to inform women of their breast density when they have mammograms, which are recommended annually or biannually for most women over 40. Some organisations recommend a different schedule for women at higher risk.Dense breasts are common, but they can be detected only by mammogram. The US National Cancer Institute says, “Nearly half of all women who are 40 and older who get mammograms are found to have dense breast tissue.”3The American Cancer Society has said that the FDA’s ruling now means that all mammogram reports sent to patients “must include breast density, which should be described as either ‘not dense’ or ‘dense.’” The society said that…
Read Original Article: US women must be told breast density after mammogram, says FDA »