How to screen for breast cancer in women with dense breasts

Breasts with more mammary glands and less fat are called dense breasts. Women with dense breasts are six times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with non-dense breasts, so they need to pay more attention to breast cancer screening.

In the latest breast cancer screening guidelines, the American Society of Breast Diseases recommends that women with dense breasts use breast ultrasound and mammography as breast cancer screening tools, which can increase the effectiveness of dense breast disease screening. Because breast density will be reflected on mammography films, but for women with dense breasts, lesions are often not easy to detect.

Women with dense breasts should also communicate with their doctors in detail to develop a checkup plan that suits them. This will help them detect the disease early and avoid worrying about breast health issues. The recommended breast exams are as follows:

1. Perform breast self-examination once a month.

2. Have a physical examination by a breast specialist once a year.

3. Women over 40 need to have a digital mammography examination once a year.

Depending on the specific situation, breast MRI or breast ultrasound can be selectively added. In addition, women with dense breasts should not only save the results of each year's examination, but also learn to obtain meaningful information from imaging data to compare the results of the previous year's examination and tell the doctor about any abnormalities to facilitate the doctor to make a correct diagnosis.