Kicking cancer's ass - day 1515

October 23 - Women with high breast density were found to have a four- to six-fold increased risk of breast cancer compared with women with lower breast density.

If you've been told you have dense breasts, insist on something other than (or in addition to) mammography.  I wish I had.

I had weird symptoms going on for almost two years before my cancer was found.  Why wasn't it found?  Because it wasn't big enough to feel, and my dense breasts hid it from three different mammograms.  Scary, huh?

I wish I had asked for an ultrasound or MRI, and I wish my doctor had informed me that those were options.  My cancer might have been caught a whole lot earlier than Stage III.

Hindsight.

It doesn't help me, but it can help you.  If you have dense breasts, don't rely on mammograms alone, especially if you feel like something is "off".  Be your own best advocate.