There are no guidelines or suggestions on how women can lower breast density, but some medications have been shown to help:
- For women who have had estrogen receptor-positive (ER-positive) breast cancer, a drug called tamoxifen or, after menopause, drugs called aromatase inhibitors (AIs) may be suggested to lower the chance of cancer returning.
- For women who have never had breast cancer but have had an “atypical biopsy” or are at higher risk for breast cancer, tamoxifen may be suggested to lower the chance of cancer growing. For women who cannot tolerate tamoxifen, raloxifene may be suggested to lower the chance of getting breast cancer.
- These drugs lower the chance that cancer will grow or return by blocking estrogen (a hormone that can stimulate the growth of some cancers). Blocking estrogen can also lower breast density. Tamoxifen and AIs have been shown to lower breast density but raloxifene has not. Not all women taking these drugs will experience lower breast density.
Talk to your healthcare professional to decide what is right for you.
Learn More:
- 5 Facts Every Woman Should Know
- Video Series: Let’s Talk About Dense Breasts
- Patient Risk Checklist (print)
- Patient Questions and Answers