dense breast tissue

Anonymous

Does anybody know  please if dense breast tissue in post menopausal women is related to higher recurrence risks,I ve read an article by Dr. S. Narod who seems to suggest this and if so is high breast density another reason to have a mastectomy instead of a lumpectomy, as this seems to be the only way to eliminate this risk factor. Also is dense breast tissue  related to higher concentrations of estrogen in the breast tissue.

flash

My understanding is that it is a conundrum about dense breast tissue.  They are not sure if it's just that women with dense breast tissue are just less likely to be found by mammogram since it's harder to see. Even with a mast, you don't get all bits of breast tissue so you still have a risk; it's not a zero risk.

Don't forget to think of your emotional well being when making your decision.  Will you be happier without breasts and thinking it's lower or will you be happier with the "girls" still in place and just monitoring.  It's a very personal decision and you need to do whatever is best for you. It's a hard decision either way.

Good luck.

happymom8285

I can't say for sure.  I just know mine have been very dense for 30 years.  Had my first biopsy 30 years ago.  Have been proactive with mammos and at times ultrasound.  When my mother was dx in '94, I saw my BS every 6 months for a couple years.  I've had multiple biopsies and small lumpectomies, all benign.  My sister was dx in '98.  Back to the BS every 6 months.  I'd find a lump, it'd be taken care of.  I seriously considered, a prophylactic mast. but didn't go through with it.  Now, the proverbial other shoe has dropped and I was dx with DCIS with micro-invasion.  I did have the BMX.  I'm glad I did, because DCIS was found in the "good boob", too, just very small.  No telling how long that would take to have manifested itself.  I'm happy with my decision.  But, like flash says, you can't get every scrap of breast tissue.

I went through early menopause (age 40).  Now 57.  I was not surprised when I got BC.  I knew it would be just a matter of time.

What I couldn't figure out, with all my precautions, I was the one who discovered the lump.  So where was it last year on my mammo?  My DCIS was all over the upper quadrant of my boob!  They say by the time cancer is detected it's already been there for 8-10 years!  Go figure.  I certainly don't understand it!

How attached are you to your boobs?  That's the big question.  I had to think:  they're attached to me, I'm not attached to them.

As far as the estrogen being concentrated in denser boobs, I've not heard that.  I had a hysterectomy in 2000 and part of my BC was still estrogen positive.  Our bodies always produce some estrogen even after menopause or a hysterectomy. Just part of being female!

So much depends on your family history, too.  Have you discussed this with your dr?  It is a hard decision, with no guarentees.

clariceak

Interesting.  I haven't heard of the research you've mentioned but I opted for a bilat because I had no confidence in the testing available in my small town for dense breasts.  I had a clean mammo in Jan 09 and was stage III by summer.

lago

I have read you are a slightly higher risk. Part of the risk is they can't differentiate the cancer from other breast tissue.

The other is cancer might like to grow in denser tissue although I don' t know if they're actually confirmed that yet..