Decreasing breast density...

duff0015

Are there ways that we can? 

12954

Age?  I think dense tissue is more common in young women, but can just be the way you are

Trish

rrs

I've read a lot lately about iodine supplements being used to decrease fibrocystic/dense breast tissue.  Has anyone used this?

Anonymous

I don't know about Iodine...something to ask your doctor about. 

I had dense tissue and many cysts most of my adult life. It was always so frustrating especially after I learned that my golf ball sized malignant tumor was mistaken for five years as a clump of dense tissue not only on mammograms, but also by my GYN during palpations. I've had bi-lat Masts...so it's no longer an issue for me  . But it really concerns me that so many gals have this problem. And so many are having problems with tumors not showing up because of the denseness, not to mention that dense tissue predisposes you to actually developing cancer. I found some info at another discussion board and wanted to share it with you (they don't specifically mention dense tissue, but they do mention breast cysts and fibroids)...

Eating about an ounce of ground flaxseed each day will affect the way estrogen is handled in postmenopausal women in such a way that offers protection against breast cancer but will not interfere with estrogen's role in normal bone maintenance.
In addition to lessening a woman's risk of developing cancer, the lignans abundant in flaxseed can promote normal ovulation and extend the second, progesterone-dominant half of the cycle. The benefits of these effects are manifold. For women trying to become pregnant, consistent ovulation significantly improves their chances of conception. For women between the ages of 35 and 55 who are experiencing peri-menopausal symptoms such as irregular menstrual cycles, breast cysts, headaches, sleep difficulties, fluid retention, anxiety, irritability, mood swings, weight gain, lowered sex drive, brain fog, fibroid tumors, and heavy bleeding, a probable cause of all these problems is estrogen dominance. Typically, during the 10 years preceding the cessation of periods at midlife, estrogen levels fluctuate while progesterone levels steadily decline. Flaxseed, by promoting normal ovulation and lengthening the second half of the menstrual cycle, in which progesterone is the dominant hormone, helps restore hormonal balance.

So there you have some of it! For more info go to http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=81 and read about all the benefits of flax seeds.

If you have a coffee griner/spice grinder you can simply grind the flax seeds up and add them to your smoothie. I think a tablespoon or so is enough.

Flax is also available in the form of an oil that can be simply poured into tea or smoothies.

mzmiller99

My breasts were dense and full of lumps all my adult life.  Only when I had to go off HRT this past May did they actually feel soft and smooth inside.  So, I guess age and lack of hormones might do the trick for some of us.  They, well, the one that's still whole, feels so different now!!

Susan

wishiwere

Some of the test I've read say that the increased risk for BC remains for 10 years after the breast becomes less dense.

One of the first things a doc will tell is to quit caffeine.

I also read that women who take HRT have an increase in breast density. 

They consider women high risk for BC if they have high breast density in most of the studies I read.

Anonymous

rrs - regarding your ? about Iodine...I saw this post in another forum here (I signed up for it today):

Hello to those not yet tested for iodine deficiency, Breast Cancer Choices' Iodine Investigation Project is collecting data on the iodine (and now bromide) levels of breast cancer patients for our database. See www.breastcancerchoices.org/iproject  

Since research shows a clear connection between iodine deficiency and breast disease, we are eager to get more compelling data collected. Please contact sally@breastcancerchoices.org for details. All information is confidential

rrs

I wonder if there have been any further developments in the iodine theory?

BarredOwl

I don't know about iodine. However, there was an interesting 2014 report concluding "that an increase in sweet foods or sugar-sweetened beverage intake is associated with higher MD" (mammographic density).

http://blogs.biomedcentral.com/bmcseriesblog/2014/...

http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/...

(A full-pdf is available for free (see blue button at upper right)

There are many good reasons to reduce consumption of such foods, and this possibly may be another.

BarredOwl

calidancer

Doesn't Tamoxifen reduce density?

BarredOwl

Yes. The second-to-last paragraph of my first link above mentions that:

"Breast density is not fixed, it can be modified. For example, tamoxifen, a drug commonly used for breast cancer treatment, can reduce breast density by 6.4% in a four and a half year period. Tamoxifen can reduce breast cancer risk by 30-50%."

However, I think some in this thread are not taking tamoxifen, as they are receiving AI's or nothing at all.

BarredOwl

rrs

I was on tamoxifen for 5 years and then had a complete hysterectomy. It has been 10 years and tissue is still dense.

BarredOwl

Hi rrs:

You are also correct that not everyone on tamoxifen experiences a reduction in density. I edited the quote above to put the word "can" in bold to reflect that.

BarredOwl