Breast Density

Hi all
Am confirmed for the workshop on Breast Density here in Adelaide next Thursday 23 August.
I am prepared to put any questions the blog has on this issue and report back on the responses. In addition I hope to upload a summary of what I learn on the day - just may need to be the week after as my twins are turning 18 that weekend and have 80th birthdays ( yep plural) on the Friday.
As the workshop is 10 - 4 on Thursday will take any questions to the workshop that. I have up until 5pm the day before - Wednesday.
Am confirmed for the workshop on Breast Density here in Adelaide next Thursday 23 August.
I am prepared to put any questions the blog has on this issue and report back on the responses. In addition I hope to upload a summary of what I learn on the day - just may need to be the week after as my twins are turning 18 that weekend and have 80th birthdays ( yep plural) on the Friday.
As the workshop is 10 - 4 on Thursday will take any questions to the workshop that. I have up until 5pm the day before - Wednesday.
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Comments
Anyway, my thoughts are:
I had dense breasts but was never told this was an issue when I had a diagnostic mammogram in my 30s (the cancer diagnosed in my 50s was in a similar if not, the same place as the cyst diagnosed back then). My genetic oncologist has said that, although I do not test positive for any of the known BC genes, she is confident there is a familial genetic link due to family history. I have 2 teenage daughters and it has been recommended that they start screening at 30. Chances are that they will also have dense breasts. How can it possibly be okay to allow a woman to be screened and not tell her that her negative result is just a maybe? It can take a lot of courage to go for screening for many women; even more so when they have a family history. I believe it is unethical and immoral, and I believe should be illegal, to allow that woman to think that she is clear when it is far from certain due to it being difficult to determine. The other problem of course, is that we all lead busy lives and many women leave their own health last so it is quite likely they may not go in for their mammograms as regularly as everyone would wish. This means that any cancer has more time to grow if it was not picked up due to density, and if she is not aware that could be a issue.
As you say, it is about giving women information about their own bodies. I'm losing my words here and can't think of the term I'm looking for but it's along the lines of "a failure to provide reasonable and accurate medical information/service".
I wish I was able to go to it with you @romla but at this stage, radiation is smack bang in the middle.
The only ethical or moral dilemma is that they are doing NOTHING ABOUT IT!
If it is good for WA (and apparently they are having lower incidences of the more advanced invasive BCs in women being tested in other ways ....) then it is good enough for ALL the other states. It is no skin off their nose, just to keep us informed!
If my GP hadn't found my lumps - I'd be sitting here with them steadily growing FAST until my NEXT mammogram that also wouldn't show them!
The excuses from BreastScreen Australia, except WA of course, are starting to look very thin...
I'm still in the dark about my density. My breasts used to be dense but what the remaining one is now, I don't know. At my screening last year, I had two different answers from two different doctors.
If your breast tissue is dense you should ask for an ultrasound and a 3D mammogram. K xox