Blog

UPDATED: Patient FAQs

Our hard-working Medical Advisory Board members have just completed a review and update of all Patient FAQs. Please share this comprehensive round-up of 40 commonly asked questions relating to dense breasts, why they matter, and associated screening and risk implications.
(European visitors, click “Home/USA” located on top/left of the website home screen, then “For Patients” dropdown menu)

UPDATED: Screening Technologies

As a reminder we recently expanded our popular table, Summary of Cancer Detection Rates by Screening Method.  We have also updated the write-ups on Molecular Breast Imaging and Contrast-Enhanced Mammography. Each modality summary includes an explanation of what the technology is, how it works, benefits and considerations. (European visitors, please click here to access these pages.)

NEW! Patient Fact Sheet:
At the request of both patients and providers, a new one-page, printable flyer, Why a Conversation About Your Breast Density Matters, is now available in English and Spanish. Later this month versions in multiple other languages will be available on DB-i/Europe; we will share the news when they are posted.

UPDATED:  Risk Model Tutorial:
Several breast cancer risk assessment tools have been developed that combine known major risk factors. Do you know how each model is used? In our Risk Model Tutorial (European visitors, click HERE), learn how models are used, explanations about each and diagnostic considerations for use.  Our very popular Risk Models Table includes, by risk model: output for each, what risk factors are included, when to use the model, and a live link to the model.

Originally launched in October of 2018, the DB-i/Europe website continues to evolve to meet the needs of European health providers on the topic of breast density. We are delighted to announce an expansion of content and available educational tools (press announcement HERE).

What’s new?:

• Risk Model Tutorial (includes details on how the models are used, risk model explanations, diagnostic considerations, and a risk model table which includes live links to each model)
• Patient Fact Sheet (one-page, downloadable; available in multiple languages soon)
• Table: Comparative Analysis of National Breast Screening Guidelines in Europe (interactive map content now in a comparative table)
• Diagnostic Imaging/Europe article: Using Education to Overcome Unequal Access to Supplemental Screening for Women with Dense Breasts

New ACS Journals Study

A study published in ACS Journals, Mammography Screening Reduces Rates of Advanced and Fatal Breast Cancers, found substantial benefits in participating in mammography screening (41% reduction in the incidence of fatal breast cancers within 10 years of diagnosis) and that lives are saved through early detection. The benefit of screening appeared to be independent of treatment regimens.

COVID/State Legislation:
We have received questions about the fate of U.S. state legislation (”density inform” and/or insurance) introduced before the onset of COVID.  Each state handled their COVID-caused legislature scheduling changes differently. As the future is still unknown, more changes can be expected. For instance, though some state legislature sessions have ended during this time, their budgets may need to be renegotiated, new protocols on voting and constituent in-person visits developed, and special summer sessions called.

Europe/ESR Patient Resources:
The DB-i/Europe website is now featured on the ESR/Patient homepage as an educational resource: https://www.myesr.org/quality-safety/patient-information.

Website Update/ Tech Tab Table:
Our Medical Advisory Board has been hard at work! Please see our updated and expanded table, Summary of Cancer Detection Rates by Screening Methods (European visitors, click HERE). It is a popular resource and compares, by modality and breast density category, the added cancer detection rate, the impact on false positive rate, and details the types of cancers seen. We hope you find this comprehensive comparison helpful.

Welcome!
We are delighted to welcome Robin Seitzman, PhD, MPH,  to our Board of Directors in her role as Director of Education and Epidemiology Research. Dr. Seitzman is an epidemiologist with over 20 years of experience in the design, conduct, and analysis of epidemiologic research in both the private and public sectors.  She has collaborated with DB-i on the design and conduct of several research studies on breast density knowledge in health care providers. One of her immediate projects will be the development of additional CME/CE course materials based on DB-i website content. Learn more about our team HERE (European visitors, click HERE).

COVID-19
See below for some early guidelines on breast cancer management during a pandemic:

• An executive summary from the American Society of Breast Surgeons, Recommendations for Prioritization, Treatment and Triage of Breast Cancer Patients During the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Guidelines from the Canadian Society of Breast Imaging (CSBI) and the Canadian Association of Radiology (CAR), Guidelines for Breast Imaging during the COVID-19 Pandemic 
• An editorial published in the European Journal of Breast Health, Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment and Follow-Up During COVID-19 Pandemic

Density Inform Effectiveness Studies
In recent months there were several research studies detailing the “effectiveness” of density inform legislation.  When we analyzed the studies, we found that they did not distinguish between laws that only provide general, non-personal, or incomplete inform vs. those state laws that do. Read DB-i’s position statement and call for standards in studies on the topic HERE.