Um... er.... what's the story with dense breast tissue?

Forums: Health, Medical, Cancer, Dense Breast Tissue, Breast Cancer Prevention
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I recently had my first mammogram (shiver). The slide analysis came back okie dokie. But, I was told I have dense breast tissue and that in the future I should have MRIs. I'm cool with MRIs. But, when I researched dense breast tissue I found out it has a higher correlation to breast cancer than does less dense breast tissue. At first they thought this was due to the tissue masking the tumors, but later they found that it is more than that - dense tissue means you are more likely to develop breast cancer.

1. Does anyone feel at ease enough to discuss this on a personal level (anyone have dense breast tissue)?
2. Does anyone have any non-specific info to share?
3. Has anyone discussed this with their doc?
4. Is there anything I can do to reduce or offset my chances of getting breast cancer?

I assume the things I can do to boost my odds include:
Exercise and diet
Not smoking
Wearing safer bras (is there such a thing?)
Reducing or excluding hydrogenated fats
Staying within my ideal weight range

What else? I won't see my doc for another 8 months, but I will surely bring it up then.

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I will also add what tiny bit of medical info to which I'm privvy, but request those who are more expert to explain it: hormone replacement therapy meds add a greater risk as well as being on birth control pills (Taking hormones such as estrogen and progesterone).

You might be interested in the following link to Web-MD:

http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/tc/breast-cancer-screening-patient-information-nci-pdq-general-information-about-breast-cancer

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@Ragman,

"Women use vitamin A for heavy menstrual periods, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), vaginal infections, yeast infections, “lumpy breasts” (fibrocystic breast disease), and to prevent breast cancer"

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@littlek,

My friend who has had two different breast cancers had dense breast tissue (also poly-cystic which appears to be another risk factor) which is how I know about it. She likely has the genes for breast cancer, though, .

You and I are both also at higher risk because of not having had kids and breast fed young.

(I don't have dense breast tissue, though.)

Alcohol intake is the only other risk factor you've not mentioned...it also increases risk.

I'd also be staying away from meat pumped full of hormones and such...which a lot of chicken is, and I think a lot of your other meats are, too.

Other than that? Have your MRIs.......and try not to worry.

SOMETHING is gonna kill you no matter what you do.

I was brought up to believe I would almost certainly get breast cancer because my mother died young from it. My GP advised me to look into prophylactic bi-lateral mastectomy, and I did, and was reassured.

But I guess I learned to be relatively philosophical about it all fairly young, although that was a hard and nervous road.

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@Ragman,

Ragman wrote:

I will also add what tiny bit of medical info to which I'm privvy, but request those who are more expert to explain it: hormone replacement therapy meds add a greater risk as well as being on birth control pills (Taking hormones such as estrogen and progesterone).

You might be interested in the following link to Web-MD:

http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/tc/breast-cancer-screening-patient-information-nci-pdq-general-information-about-breast-cancer

The thinking on that one goes back and forth.

Famously the massive research on whether or not HRT is a risk factor for breast cancer was stopped early, and the warnings went out.

I gather some analysis of results is refining this to some extent.

Mind you, I'd not touch it unless menopause was threatening my career etc.

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@littlek,

I have dense breasts (one tech called them "busy" (!) and I have had breast cancer. (2001)
My favorite researcher on bc is Susan Love.
Here's her website - http://www.dslrf.org/breastcancer/

This book, in an earlier edition, got me through the night -
http://www.amazon.com/Dr-Susan-Loves-Breast-Book/dp/0738209732/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253570531&sr=1-1

Other than that, on your questions, I'd nose around at the mayo clinic site (though I haven't checked it out re bc) and at some of the big national breast cancer centers (I'm forgetting the name of a famous one in the east).

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@Ragman,

Interesting, Ragman. I'll only add to watch it, as Vitamin A is one that you can have too much of.

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@littlek,

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/breast-cancer-prevention/WO00091

Quote:

To protect yourself from breast cancer, consider limiting alcohol to less than one drink a day or avoid alcohol completely.

- maintain healthy weight
- 30 minutes exercise daily
- avoid long-term use of high dose b.c. pills
- caution re HRT
- avoid pesticides and antibiotics

- the bra thing seems to be an old wives tale of some sort

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This is the place where one of my aunts and three of my cousins have had breast cancer treatments over the last 20 years. I was visiting with one of my cousins during her latest chemo treatments a couple years ago and was quite impressed with this place and the people who work there.

Here is the page on their website about the various forms and methods for breast screenings. The information pages are categorized for patients or physicians so you can get the details in plain English or techno babble.

http://www.dana-farber.org/can/screening/View.aspx?audience=0&lang=en&doc=CDR0000257995

It also has an excellent page that describes exactly what you are asking about. There are also forums and support groups that you can get info from both online and off. Best of all, it is located near you in Boston.

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@Butrflynet,

Yes, bfn, that's the place I was thinking of.. (the name reminds me of cookware, but I still couldn't remember it).

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Thank you all! It's too late to process tonight (I had to watch the House, MD season premier!), but I'll be back.

Beth - I had always figured the bra thing to be an old wive's tale as well. Glad to see you are thinking it is as well.

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@littlek,

I managed to never hear of the bra thing. Last thing I needed.

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@ossobuco,

Last person I saw said I just had DCIS. **** no, I have my surgeon's notes to me, the rampant thing being why she went in twice, second time under a general. I got him to retract upon review, and I figure he'd just done a pages scan in a clinic situation for a few minutes.

Trust no one, log your records.

I do trust my surgeon - but not that next guy.

Sadly, my surgeon had bad knees, and last I heard, was having trouble standing for surgery. She was, at least then, high up in repute.

Life actually is cruel.

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@littlek,

The 'bra thing' comes up on a number of "breast cancer myth" pages within medical sites.

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I have dense tissue and poly-cystic breasts with calcifications (my ultrasounds looks like grape clusters). One biopsy (negative) under my belt, and occasional cystic flareups. I was on semi-annual mammogram checks ups for awhile but have returned to annual screenings.

At this point, it's something you're aware of and you know not to skip annual screenings. My doc schedules a diagnostic mammogram (magnification series) and an ultrasound, then cancels the ultrasound if there are no observed changes in the mammogram.

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@JPB,

That sounds smart, especially re the ultrasound appointment.

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@JPB,

Blimey.

Lucky you're aware.

Have you found anything that helps with the cystic flare-ups?

A friend has terribly painful ones, and draining the bastards doesn't seem to help.

1 Reply

@dlowan,

Yeah, they hurt like hell. They're sometimes painful enough to wake me up at night. Large ones can be drained for some relief but I've found that hot (as hot as I can stand) washcloths/compresses three or four times a day will alleviate the discomfort and shrink them in a few days.

Cystic breasts run in my family but there's no history of BC, as far as I know, although there's some discussion about a mastectomy on my maternal grandmother. The question is whether it was due to cancer or cysts.

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Another dense breast tissue gal here.

Never had an MRI done for them, they would just redo whichever breast they couldn't get a good reading on, and press more firmly, get more breast tissue onto the platform, etc.

littlek, by your (shiver), I take it your experience wasn't that good.

next time, ask to be sent to a radiology place that only does mams.
Their experience makes a big difference.

1 Reply

Poly-cystic.... hmmm... so much to learn about. Breasts are always (for most of us) just there until we're 40.

Ok, will be taking a 'be-aware' tact until my next doc appt. May reconsider the birth control pills in the meantime.

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Um... er.... what's the story with dense breast tissue?

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