What Every Woman Must Know About Dense Breast Tissue & Safer Screening Options The Hidden Risk Most Women Don’t Know About Do you have dense breasts? According to a 2010 Harris Poll, 95% of women don’t know whether they do and most physicians don’t routinely discuss it. Yet nearly 40% of women have dense breast tissue, and research suggests that breast density may: • Increase breast cancer risk• Decrease mammogram accuracy• Delay early detection That combination should concern every woman. What Are Dense Breasts? Breasts are composed of: • Fatty tissue• Milk-producing glands• Connective tissue Most breasts are 75% or more fatty tissue. Dense breasts contain more glandular and connective tissue than fat. On imaging, that difference matters. Why Mammograms Miss Cancer in Dense Breasts On a mammogram: • Fatty tissue appears dark• Dense tissue appears white• Cancerous tumors also appear white As one physician described it,…