During each consultation with our medical staff, a discussion of your health and lifestyle along with conducting a physical exam of your breast and pelvis will occur.

Common areas discussed with each consultation are the following:

Breast Health Advice

• Risk Factors
• Age—as we grow older, our risk for breast cancer increases.
• Personal history of breast cancer or other cancer
• Family history of breast cancer—although important to note that 80-90% of breast cancers are diagnosed in women with no family history
• Menstrual period beginning at an early age—prior to age 12
• First pregnancy after age 30, or having no pregnancies
• Obesity and alcohol use—may increase the risk of breast cancer
• Estrogen therapy—taking hormone therapy may increase the chance of developing breast cancer. Birth control pills do not appear to increase the risk of breast cancer.

What should I know before getting a mammogram?

Women have different types of breast tissue. Breasts are made up of a mixture of fibrous and glandular tissue and fatty tissue. Your breasts are considered dense if you have a lot of fibrous or glandular tissue, but not much fat. Having dense breast tissue may increase your risk of getting breast cancer.

Why is breast density important?

Dense breasts make it more difficult for doctors to spot cancer on mammograms. Dense tissue appears white on a mammogram. Lumps, both benign and cancerous, also appear white. So, mammograms can be less accurate in women with dense breasts.

How do I know if I have dense breasts?

Breast density is determined by the radiologist who reads your mammogram. There are four categories of mammographic density. The radiologist assigns each mammogram to one of the categories. Your doctor should be able to tell you whether you have dense breasts based on where you fall on the density scale.

Density scale

• Almost entirely fatty
• Scattered areas of fibro glandular density
• Heterogeneously dense
• Extremely dense
• If I have dense breasts, do I still need a mammogram? Yes. A mammogram is the only medical imaging screening test proven to reduce breast cancer deaths. Many cancers are seen on mammograms even if you have dense breast
• Patients can find comfort and peace of mind knowing Health Solutions Well Woman Clinic has the unique ability to provide coordinated care and get you the answers you need when it matters most.