NEW HAVEN, CT—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-3) today marked Breast Cancer Awareness Month by calling for passage of the Breast Density and Mammography Reporting Act. The bill, introduced by DeLauro last year, would help raise awareness of breast cancer risks, the importance of appropriate screening.
The Breast Density and Mammography Reporting Act ensures the information women and their health care providers receive after a mammogram includes patient’s relative breast density. Studies have shown that women with dense breast tissue are at least four times more likely to develop breast cancer. They are also more likely to have an inaccurate mammogram reading. Because of their tissue density only 40-50 percent of cancer in dense breast tissue is identified in a mammogram
“By providing this simple piece of information, we can help women and their doctors make more informed decisions about their risks for developing breast cancer, helping improve their chances for early detection and survival,” said DeLauro. “As a survivor of ovarian cancer who is only here today because my cancer was caught early, I know how important it is to be aware of your risks. Increased awareness means earlier detection, and that means more women will have a fighting chance against this terrible disease.”
Dr. Denise Barajas, Director of Griffin Hospital’s Hewitt Center for Breast Wellness, joined DeLauro’s call, saying: “It is so important to find cancers as early as possible because breast cancers diagnosed at stage 0 or 1 have relative five year survival rates approaching 100%, while for cancers diagnosed at stage 3 that drops to 72%. In women where mammography is not providing the optimal screening, we need to consider additional testing in order to find those small cancers.”
Connecticut law requires all mammography reports include information about breast density. DeLauro’s bill would expand this nationwide.
About 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 American women die from the disease annually. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month, which seeks to raise awareness about the disease.
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