WILL I BE NOTIFIED IF I HAVE DENSE BREASTS?

Why is notifying women of their breast density important?

Breast density is a problem for screening mammograms because it can mask breast cancers that are present. Generally, breast cancers appear white on the mammogram, and are difficult to distinguish from dense areas which are also white. Women with higher percentage breast density are more likely to have a so-called ‘interval cancer’, defined as a cancer detected within 24 months after a ‘normal’ mammogram. Interval cancers are more likely to be larger than cancers detected by screening. Larger cancers are often associated with lymph node metastases and can have a worse prognosis.

Breast density is also a risk factor for breast cancer. This means that, for women of the same age and body mass index (BMI), those with higher breast density are more likely to develop breast cancer. However, dense breasts is a common risk factor, and most women with high breast density will not go on to develop breast cancer. When considering a woman’s individual risk of developing breast cancer, it is important that breast density be considered in combination with other risk factors (such as age, family history, and BMI).

InforMD believes that receipt of information about breast density will enable women with high breast density to be part of decision-making around how to manage their breast cancer screening. This knowledge might also lead women with high breast density to have increased awareness of the importance of self-breast checks, and of a healthy lifestyle to reduce their breast cancer risk (such as avoiding alcohol).

Breast density reporting is in a state of change – the Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Radiologists updated their position in December 2023 and now recommend breast density reporting. BreastScreen Australia updated their position in May 2025 and now recommend that breast density be reported to women as part of routine mammographic screening. However, breast density reporting has not yet been fully implemented. Further information on the new BreastScreen Australia position is here.

Breast density information by State

Breast density reporting can vary by State, find out what is happening in your State’s BreastScreen program.

You can contact the BreastScreen program in your State to find out more or express your views.

BreastScreen New South Wales
BreastScreen Victoria
BreastScreen Queensland
BreastScreen Western Australia
BreastScreen South Australia
BreastScreen Tasmania
BreastScreen ACT
BreastScreen Northern Territory

Contact: http://www.breastscreen.nsw.gov.au/contact-us/contact-us/
Contact: https://www.breastscreen.org.au/Contact-Us
Email: cssb@health.qld.gov.au
Email: breastscreenwa@health.wa.gov.au
Email: BSSAenquiries@health.sa.gov.au
Email:cscs.administration@ths.tas.gov.au
Email: breastscreen@act.gov.au
Email: breastscreenNT.THS@nt.gov.au

If my State doesn’t yet report breast density, should I still go there for a screening mammogram?

BreastScreen Australia has been highly successful in reducing the numbers of women dying from breast cancer since the program’s inception in 1991, by diagnosing breast cancers in their earliest stages and enabling effective treatment for thousands of Australian women. The challenges of reading mammograms of women with high breast density is not a new issue for the program. Continually evolving science and the introduction of new technologies such as digital mammography have contributed to improved diagnosis for all women – including women with high breast density.

We encourage women between the ages of 50-74 years to have free regular mammograms through BreastScreen services across Australia. These services are also available for women over 40 years of age. You don’t need a doctor’s referral to book an appointment. Two-yearly mammograms reduce breast cancer-associated death through early detection of breast cancer.

Even if your mammogram shows no evidence of breast cancer, we encourage all women to be ‘breast aware’. This means knowing how your breasts normally look and feel, checking them regularly, and if you notice a persistent change - see your doctor.

How did we get here? A timeline of InforMD’s breast density advocacy

InforMD launched a nationwide public awareness campaign on 4th of October 2016, educating the community about breast density. The campaign reached over 7 million Australians, with information distributed through TV, print, radio, online news and The Conversation. A summary of this initiative and its impact was published in eCancer.

In February 2017, InforMD member A/Prof Wendy Ingman met with Steve Georganas, MP for Hindmarsh and Deputy Chair of the Standing Committee for Health, Ageing and Sport, to discuss how to progress breast density notification in Australia. With his assistance, InforMD submitted information on this issue, and a call for development of clinical guidelines, to federal Health Minister Greg Hunt. Following this correspondence, Minister Hunt stated that he would request his staff to discuss possible scope and timing of new guidelines for health professionals around breast density reporting.

In March 2017, InforMD member Prof Rik Thompson, together with members of the Australian Centre for Health Law Research at Queensland University of Technology, hosted a symposium, public lecture and forum on breast density. Guest speaker was American breast density activist, Dr Nancy Cappello. The forum brought together scientists, lawyers, industry personnel, clinicians, consumers, along with representatives from BreastScreen Australia and acknowledged the medico‐legal framework around notification, the growing desire and expectation amongst Australian women to know their breast density status, the importance of establishing consensus on the issues around breast density notification, and a willingness to work together towards identifying applicable solutions.

Also in May, Breast Cancer Network Australia and the McGrath Foundation joined our call for development of clinical guidelines, writing letters of support to the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia.

In August 2017, InforMD member Prof Rik Thompson was successful in petitioning the Clinical Oncology Society of Australia through a broadly circulated Discussion Paper on breast density to establish a working group that would seek input from all stakeholder groups and, together with Cancer Council Australia, develop a Fact Sheet on mammographic breast density to support healthcare professionals. The factsheet was published in 2021.

Also in August, the Commonwealth Department of Health commissioned an independent review of the scientific studies on breast density, which was published in 2018.

In December 2017, InforMD member A/Prof Jennifer Stone from the University of Western Australia launched a study to assess the impact of breast density notification in Western Australia, the results were published in 2020.

In August 2018, InforMD member A/Prof Wendy Ingman hosted a workshop in Adelaide to identify the ethical and legal issues around breast density notification. The workshop presentations explored the clinicians' and patients' perspectives of the issue. A full report of the workshop has been published.

In 2022, InforMD member A/Prof Jennifer Stone was part of the steering committee responsible for the breast density reporting trial within the BreastScreen South Australia state program. This research led to breast density reporting in this state, commencing in August 2023. All women who attend BreastScreen in South Australia are now being notified of their breast density category. In 2024, BreastScreen Victoria commenced rollout of breast density notification, with reporting breast density to all clients anticipated by early 2025.

Another significant development is that the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists released a position statement in December 2023 and are now recommending that the reporting of breast density in both screening and diagnostic settings be mandated in Australia and New Zealand

Wendy Ingman with Steve Georganas MP in February 2017

Patient advocate Michael Shephard speaks at the Adelaide Breast Density workshop in August 2018

Let’s make a difference in the fight against breast cancer.

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