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Carrie's Story

Name: Carrie
State: Indiana
Date of Diagnosis: October 27, 2011
Age at Diagnosis: 41
Stage of Diagnosis: 3A
Time from "normal" mammogram to diagnosis: 9 months
How was cancer detected?: By me and ultrasound

I am an RN, BSN, CCRN (critical care certified) and never realized that mammograms are so limited in dense breasts. My tumor was 5.5 CM and was not 'seen' by mammogram. I also never thought cancer hurt and my lump, which literally appeared over night, was very tender. My doctor ordered a PAP test, mammogram, blood work and chest X-ray that all came back negative. My doctor never mentioned my "dense" breasts nor suggested additional screening such as a breast ultrasound. The lump on my right breast went away and a couple months later I discovered a lump on my left breast.

It was not until August that I went to a new doctor that agreed it sounded like cysts. I also began to lose weight. The doctor ordered a CT scan of my chest and abdomen (negative). I went back again and told the doctor, "It's not that I want something to be wrong. I just know there is.” You don't turn 40 and loose 15 lbs unless you’re dying of cancer." He then ordered an ultrasound and BINGO there it was - Pathology report: 5.5 cm tumor and 4/7 positive lymph nodes.

After my diagnosis I asked for a copy of the letter that was sent to my doctor after my mammogram. It said "The breast tissue is heterogeneously dense. This may lower the sensitivity of mammography - Negative mammogram with no evidence of malignancy. My tumor was 5.5 cm and they could not see it by mammogram!!

I asked my doctor to look at my original mammogram and CT scan. He said my breasts were too dense and the tumor could not be seen on either one. As a nurse I was blown away that I was never told this information. I asked all of my doctors why ultrasound is not used for patients with dense breast. I keep getting the reply "It's not protocol". I would be happy to help you in any way that I can to get a law in Indiana.

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AYD In The News

What is Dense Breast Tissue?

How Do I Know if I Have Dense Breast Tissue?

What Do I Do if I Have Dense Breast Tissue?

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.