My Density Matters: Empowering Women to Know Their Breast Density
Leslie Ferris Yerger’s story is one that, unfortunately, many women with dense breast tissue endure. In November 2017, Leslie was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, just two months after undergoing a mammogram and ultrasound exam, which both came back clear.
“It was the absolute shock of my life,” said Yerger. “I didn't believe the diagnosis because it just didn’t add up.”
Yerger’s cancer was discovered after a routine DEXA scan to measure her bone density. The radiologist reviewing the study noticed something odd and referred her for a bone biopsy. The results came back as metastatic breast cancer; a second opinion at the Mayo Clinic confirmed the diagnosis.
“I learned the problem was my breast density, and the cancer was masked in my mammogram,” she said. “It happens quite often that cancer is missed in mammograms for women with dense breasts. Mammograms are a wonderful tool. They save a lot of people's lives. They're just not enough for women with dense breasts, and I was one of those.”
In fact, mammograms can miss about half of cancers in women with dense breasts.1,2 Women with dense breasts are also more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer within the year after receiving a normal mammogram result, also called an “interval cancer.” One study showed that interval breast cancers accounted for 25 percent of breast cancers in routinely screened women.3
Yerger subsequently resolved to do whatever she could to prevent other women from suffering the same experience she did. In 2021, she founded My Density Matters, a nonprofit dedicated to educating women on the importance of knowing their breast density and taking control of their cancer screening.
“We empower as many women as we can to get educated so they understand what breast density is, what the risks are and what they can do, including advocating for additional screening and imaging” for themselves, said Yerger.
In collaboration with the National Consortium of Breast Centers and Breast Cancer Wellness e-Magazine, My Density Matters has launched an initiative called Check Your Chart™. It’s a program that teaches women how to access their online patient portal, read their mammogram report and look for key phrases that might indicate they have dense breasts.
“Sometimes a radiologist will say, ‘additional imaging recommended’ because of your dense breasts. But sometimes that never gets back to the woman. To get women to understand their breast density, we created a program that empowers them to go in their chart and find the information from the radiologist,” said Yerger.
Find Out My Breast Density Day
To further raise awareness, My Density Matters is spearheading an online event, “Find Out My Breast Density Day,” from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. CST on Feb. 22, 2023. By accessing the event using the hashtag #DensityTime, women will have the opportunity every hour, on the hour, to participate in different activities related to discovering and understanding their breast density and breast cancer risk.
“We want women to learn their breast density and then talk to their doctor about it. If they don't know their breast density, we want them to find it out. If they've never even had a mammogram, we want to encourage them to get one,” she said.
My Density Matters’ goal is to reach as many women as possible. In 2022, Find Out My Breast Density Day garnered more than 3 million social media impressions. In partnership with the University of Chicago, My Density Matters has also created a Spanish-language Hispanic Outreach Program designed to help every woman get the breast cancer screening they deserve.
Currently, 38 states and the District of Columbia require notification of breast density after a mammogram. However, not all laws require a patient be informed about her own breast density – some laws only require providing women general information about breast density.
“I think it has moved the needle tremendously, but it’s still very confusing,” said Yerger. She hopes My Density Matters can help women understand what to do if they have dense breasts. “My goal is that every woman with dense breasts gets the additional screening that she really needs to find her breast cancer early so that my story doesn't become her story,” she said.
Women can learn more about the 2023 Find Out My Breast Density Day by visiting mydensitymatters.org or @mydensitymatters on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter.
References
1Kolb TM, Lichy J, Newhouse JH. Comparison of the performance of screening mammography, physical examination, and breast US and evaluation of factors that influence them: An analysis of 27,825 patient evaluations. Radiology 2002; 225:165-175. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1148/radiol.2251011667.
2Berg WA, Zhang Z, Lehrer D, et al. Detection of breast cancer with addition of annual screening ultrasound or a single screening MRI to mammography in women with elevated breast cancer risk. JAMA 2012; 307:1394-1404. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1001%2Fjama.2012.388
3Niraula, Saroj, et al. “Incidence, Characteristics, and Outcomes of Interval Breast Cancers Compared with Screening-Detected Breast Cancers.” JAMA Network Open, vol. 3, no. 9, 25 Sept. 2020, p. e2018179, https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.18179.