Vermont Makes the Green Mountain State #28 to Report Dense Breast Tissue to Patients

 

May 25, 2016

 

For Immediate Release

Are You Dense Advocacy Inc.

Woodbury CT 

 

Vermont's State’s Density Reporting Bill, is now Law: The 28th State to Report Density to Patients as part of the Mammography Reporting Results.

 

The Green Mountain State's Dense Breast Tissue Reporting Senate Bill 157 becomes law today under Governor Peter Shumlin, adding to the growing list of density reporting laws across the country. The bill was introduced in the Vermont Legislature by Senator Joe Benning, after his constituent, Leslie Mulcahy, an Innkeeper from Waterford, Vermont, contacted him with her story of invasive cancer, invisible by mammogram, and detected by her persistence of an ultrasound because of her dense breast tissue.

 

“I know that this law will have a huge beneficial impact on all Vermont women. It will raise awareness to the danger of breast density, encourage women to advocate for themselves, and above all, help many women get the life-saving early detection they deserve, “claims breast cancer survivor and patient advocate, Leslie Mulcahy.        

 

Sally Herschorn, M.D., Secretary of the Vermont Radiological Society who testified in support of the legislation reports "Knowledge is power. Giving women their breast density and explaining its importance empowers them to take control of their breast health care and be in the driver's seat for their health care decisions." Dr. Herschorn is also Vice-Chair for the Patient and Provider Experience, Radiology Division Chief and Medical Director Breast Imaging & Associate Professor of Radiology, University of Vermont College of Medicine.

 

After reading information on AreYouDense.org about the masking of dense breast tissue by mammography, Leslie Mulcahy sought to have adjunct screening to her mammography, despite her health care recommendations for no further study since her mammography results were normal. Her persistence revealed an invasive cancer, invisible by mammogram, clearly seen on ultrasound.  Her breast cancer discovery at an early stage because of multi-modal screening compelled Leslie to legislative action. At the Public Hearing, Leslie told the committee her undeniable story, representing numerous women in Vermont whose mammogram might be reported as 'normal,' but because of dense breast tissue, the cancer could be masked. Leslie also shared a video she produced to educate women about the impact of dense breast tissue on missed, delayed and advanced stage breast cancer.  View her compelling story of the detection of invasive cancer because of her persistence for multi-modal screening. 

 

The law applies to exams on & after January 15, 2017.

 

Connecticut was the first state to enact a density reporting law, inspired by Nancy M. Cappello, Ph.D., as health care providers ultimately disclosed the impact of her dense breast tissue after her advanced stage 3c breast cancer, metastasized to 13 lymph nodes, was discovered within weeks of her 11th normal mammogram.  Dr. Cappello is the founder and director of two breast health non profit organizations, Are You Dense Inc. and Are You Dense Advocacy, Inc.

 

Twenty-Eight Density Reporting States:

Connecticut (2009), Texas (2011), Virginia, New York, California (2012), Tennessee, Hawaii, Maryland, Alabama, Nevada, Oregon, North Carolina, Pennsylvania (2013), Ohio, Missouri, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Arizona, New Jersey (2014) Louisiana, Delaware, North Dakota, Michigan (2015), Indiana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Vermont (2016)

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  • Are You Dense? Fact #1:

    Breast density is one of the strongest predictors of the failure of mammography screening to detect cancer.

     
  • Are You Dense? Fact #2:

    Two-thirds of pre-menopausal women and 40% of post-menopausal women have dense breast tissue. 

     
  • Are You Dense? Fact #3:

    Adding more sensitive tests to mammography significantly increase detection of invasive cancers that are small and node negative.

     
  • Are You Dense? Fact #4:

    American College of Radiology describes women with "Dense Breast Tissue" as having a higher than average risk of Breast Cancer.

     
  • Are You Dense? Fact #5:

    While a mammogram detects 98% of cancers in women with fatty breasts, it finds only 48% in women with dense breasts.

     
  • Are You Dense? Fact #6:

    A woman at average risk and a woman at high risk have an EQUAL chance of having their cancer masked by mammogram.

     
  • Are You Dense? Fact #7:

    Women with dense breasts who had breast cancer have a four times higher risk of recurrence than women with less-dense breasts.

     
  • Are You Dense? Fact #8:

    A substantial proportion of Breast Cancer can be attributed to high breast density alone.

     
  • Are You Dense? Fact #9:

    Cancer turns up five times more often in women with extremely dense breasts than those with the most fatty tissue.

     
  • Are You Dense? Fact #10

    There are too many women who are unaware of their breast density, believe their “Happy Gram” when it reports no significant findings and are at risk of receiving a later stage cancer diagnosis.

     
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