Uc Science Today

This is Science Today. Every year, about 250 thousand women in America are diagnosed with breast cancer, making it one of the leading types of cancers nationwide. And now a University of California, San Francisco study reveals a major risk factor of the disease. Study leader Karla Kerlikowske says it’s breast structure, or as researchers says, breast density. “Breast density is a radiologic term. On a mammogram, you look at how much in quotes “dense” tissue someone has vs how much fat." Kerlikowske’s team evaluated over 200,000 women and discovered that breast density by far exceeds other risk factors. “People commonly think if you have a family history of breast cancer that contributes mostly to women developing breast cancer, but we found breast density was 4 times more likely to account for the development of breast cancer than having a first degree relative who had breast cancer." Kerlikowske says women in this risk group should pay extra attention to screening tests.