ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Let’s focus on some pretty important updates when it comes to detecting breast cancer even earlier.
All women in the U-S getting mammograms will soon receive information about their breast density, which can sometimes make cancer harder to spot.
The FDA finalized the new requirements this month aimed at standardizing the information given to millions of women following scans.
Local Dr. Lori Medeiros from Rochester Regional Health tells News 8 women in NY already get these letters but more could be done to help.
“The interesting thing is it has different meanings in different states,” Dr. Medeiros explained. “Here in NY you’ll get the letter that says you have dense breast tissue but there really are no mandates for insurance coverage beyond that and there isn’t a lot of guidance that comes along with these letters.”
Dr. Medeiros also says while professional guidelines don’t specify the next steps for women identified with dense breasts she recommends speaking to your doctor as soon as you can about additional forms of scanning, including ultrasound or MRI.