Many women unaware of connection between breast density and cancer risk, researchers say

BOSTON – Having dense breasts can increase a woman's risk of developing breast cancer - but many women may not be aware.  

There are laws in Massachusetts and other states requiring women be notified if they have dense breasts, because we know that women with dense breasts are at a 1.2-4 times higher risk of developing breast cancer.   

So researchers at Dartmouth College and Boston University and others asked more than 1,800 women about the relative importance of risk factors for breast cancer such as family history, obesity, alcohol intake, and breast density and found few women recognized breast density as a strong risk factor.  

Providers may need to better educate women on all of the risk factors for breast cancer and explain what they can do to reduce that risk like exercise, limit alcohol intake, and get screened more often.

In:
• Boston

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

Twitter Facebook