Dense Breasts Canada discusses notification policy changes

Canadian provinces are experiencing policy changes on dense breast notification following screening mammography similar to what's being seen in the U.S.

Ontario recently became the seventh Canadian province to implement such a change, where women will be informed of their specific density category and the associated risks. This also may include a draft recommendation to provide supplemental screening for women with extremely dense breasts. Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador are also implementing notification laws in 2023.

Dense Breasts Canada co-founder Jennie Dale and Paula Gordon, MD, volunteer medical advisor, spoke with AuntMinnie.com to discuss these policy changes and what's still needed. This includes the need for supplemental screening recommendations.

"In our first year of doing supplemental screening breast ultrasound, we found seven cancers per thousand screens," Gordon told AuntMinnie.com. "More radiologists might be willing to offer ultrasound screening if they saw how helpful it can be. The numbers in the literature, especially from the U.S. are far lower, since they screen annually, and more often with digital breast tomosynthesis."