April 21, 2016 Woodbury CT
Governor Mary Fallin will sign HB2601 today making the Sooner State the 26th state to report a Patient's Breast Tissue Composition through the Mammography Reporting Results.
“This is an important day for women’s breast health in Oklahoma,” reports Representative Mike Ritze, a physician and surgeon, who championed the density reporting legislation in the Sooner State. "The legislation will standardize the communication of breast tissue density across the state to promote further dialog with health care providers about a woman's personalized breast screening."
"I am honored to work with Representative Mike Ritze on behalf of Oklahoma women. Dr. Ritze understands the impact of dense breast tissue on missed, delayed and advanced stage breast cancers. His advocacy to report density to patients, through the mammography report, enhances breast screening and breast health discussions between patients and their health care providers," adds Dr. Nancy Cappello.
The law is effective November, 2016. Last month, Indiana became the 25th state to disclose density to patients with several states expected follow this legislative session. A federal density reporting bill, in both the House and Senate, was introduced in 2015.
Connecticut became the first state to disclose density to patients in 2009, inspired by patient-turned advocate Nancy M. Cappello, Ph.D. Unknown to her, Dr. Cappello’s cancer was masked on mammography by her dense breast tissue for years, in spite of her faithful yearly mammograms. Her cancer was not diagnosed until at an advanced stage 3C with 13 metastasized lymph nodes. Her advocacy led to global two non profits organizations, Are You Dense, Inc. and Are You Dense Advocacy, Inc.