Joan Lunden knows firsthand the importance of thorough breast cancer screenings.
The journalist and former Good Morning America host received a clean bill of health following a mammogram earlier this year. But knowing she has dense breast tissue, she chose to follow up with an ultrasound, recommended during an interview with Susan Love, M.D., a breast cancer specialist.
That ultrasound detected an aggressive form of breast cancer—undetected by the traditional mammogram—and today Joan is courageously fighting stage 2 breast cancer.
We’ve made great strides in our fight against breast cancer, but Joan’s experience shows that we have a lot of work do to. Now that millions of women are receiving routine mammograms, we must shift focus to better tailor care to fit a woman’s individual needs.
Health care is not one-size-fits-all. What’s right for one woman isn’t necessarily right for another, and approaching it as a one-size-fits-all issue undermines our effort to combat breast cancer.
Dense breast tissue is a perfect example. This type of tissue can obscure cancer on a mammogram, masking tumors and making them difficult to see.
The American Cancer Society cites breast density as a leading cause when mammograms fail to detect cancer. In fact, mammograms can miss up to half of cancer in dense tissue. However, doctors do not always discuss tissue density with their patients. They aren’t required to report that a patient has this trait.
Early detection is key to surviving breast cancer in dense breast tissue. However, despite the fact that 40 percent of women have dense tissue, survey data from Harris Interactive indicates that 95 percent of women do not know their breast density, which can change over the course of their life.
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That’s why we introduced the Breast Density and Mammography Reporting Act. Women with dense breast tissue, like Joan, may receive normal mammogram reports even if cancer is present. Currently, women already receive a report after a mammogram. But there is no federal standard requiring women to be informed in their report if they have dense tissue and should consider discussing with their doctor if additional screening is right for them.
Our bill would change that, empowering women to make informed decisions about their health care. The bill would set a minimum federal standard for notification, informed by health care professionals and designated by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Mammogram reports would explain in clear language whether dense tissue is present, the effect of dense tissue in masking cancer, and recommend women discuss with their doctors whether additional screening is necessary.
To determine if follow-up tests are needed, doctors and their patients will discuss a woman’s total risk, which takes into account family history and other risk factors like genetics, physical activity, and weight.
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The bill would also direct the federal government to research additional screening options for women with dense tissue so they have better early detection tools. Nineteen states have already enacted laws to require density reporting. Our legislation would ensure women in all 50 states receive this potentially life-saving information.
It’s important to note that not every woman with dense tissue needs additional screening. More care is not always better care, and women with dense tissue should always talk to their doctor to determine the appropriate course of action. The goal of universal density reporting is not to require every woman with dense breast tissue to get additional tests. It’s to ensure every woman receives the right care for her and has access to her own medical information.
We are working to pass the bill through the Senate when Congress returns to Washington in November. Until a universal reporting requirement is implemented, women should not hesitate to be proactive and ask their doctors about their breast density.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Let’s talk about the importance of women getting the information they need to make informed health care decisions—decisions which could potentially save their lives.
MORE: 9 Things That Impact Your Risk of Breast Cancer
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Senator Dianne Feinstein is the senior senator from California. She is the co-chair of the Senate Cancer Coalition and has worked to raise awareness, improve treatment, and increase research on cancer and other diseases.
Senator Kelly Ayotte represents New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate. A member of the Senate Aging Committee, she has worked to support federal investments in medical research, responsibly streamline the approval process for innovative new treatments, and increase awareness surrounding cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
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