Breast Density Legislation and the Promise Not Attained

Excerpt

Strong patient advocacy has resulted in widespread adoption of state legislation that requires notification of a finding of dense breast tissue on mammography. Approximately 40% of US women have dense breast tissue and could potentially receive legislatively mandated reporting about the role of breast density on “masking,” breast cancer risk, and the option for supplemental screening with ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).¹ Despite the well-intentioned goal of improving informed decision making, the impact of breast density legislation on understanding of breast cancer risk, awareness of the limitations of mammography as a screening test, or the timely diagnosis of breast cancer has largely not been demonstrated.^2‐5 …