Women in Kentucky with so-called dense breast tissue would be notified of that under legislation before state lawmakers aimed at improving early detection of breast cancer.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee heard testimony saying 40 percent of women have dense breast tissue. It’s described as breasts with more of such tissue than fatty tissue. Bill sponsor Jim Duplessis said these women are twice as likely to develop breast cancer.
Committee members last week heard from Kelly Bush of Elizabethtown who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014.
“If I have dense tissue I just might have to be a little more diligent and I have to be able to know that if there is something that is a little different’ I just need to be sure that I pursue that,” she said.
The House bill, now before the full Senate, would require notification for women who undergo standard mammograms. The notices would not be required for those who have 3-D digital exams. Bush doesn’t believe such information would alarm recipients.
“That woman is going to talk to their doctor, talk to physician and their going to find out exactly what that means and that it’s not really anything to panic about. It’s just for them to be aware,” she said.