Dense breast tissue, also known as dense breasts, is a condition of the breasts where a higher proportion of the breasts are made up of glandular tissue and fibrous tissue than fatty tissue. Around 40–50% of women have dense breast tissue and one of the main medical components of the condition is that mammograms are unable to differentiate tumorous tissue from the surrounding dense tissue.[1] This increases the risk of late diagnosis of breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue. Additionally, women with such tissue have a higher likelihood of developing breast cancer in general, though the reasons for this are poorly understood.[2]
- ^ Sprague BL, Gangnon RE, Burt V, Trentham-Dietz A, Hampton JM, Wellman RD, Kerlikowske K, Miglioretti DL (October 2014). "Prevalence of Mammographically Dense Breasts in the United States". Journal of the National Cancer Institute. 106 (10): 255. doi:10.1093/jnci/dju255. PMC 4200066. PMID 25217577.
- ^ "What Does It Mean to Have Dense Breasts?". cdc.gov. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 22, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2021.