Breast Cancer Awareness: What Every Woman Should Know
Women's Health
September 23, 2025
Breast Cancer Awareness: What Every Woman Should Know

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month — an ideal time to pause and tune into your breast health. Whether it’s your first mammogram or you’ve already made it part of your routine, here’s what you need to know about risk factors, screening recommendations, and navigating that call-back that might come in.

Understanding Your Risk Factors

Every woman has some risk of developing breast cancer, but some factors can increase your personal risk. Here are a few you should be aware of:

  • Getting older: Most breast cancers are diagnosed after age 50. The risk grows with age.
  • Family history: A family history of breast or ovarian cancer, especially in a first-degree relative (mother, sister, or daughter), increases your risk. Inherited gene mutations, like BRCA1 and BRCA2, also heighten risk, though they are relatively rare.
  • Personal history: If you’ve had breast cancer or certain noncancerous breast diseases, your risk goes up.
  • Reproductive history: Starting your period before age 12, experiencing menopause after age 55, having your first child after age 30, or never having a full-term pregnancy can raise your risk.
  • Lifestyle factors: Carrying excess weight (especially after menopause), not being physically active, drinking alcohol, and smoking are all linked to higher breast cancer risk.

Some risk factors you can’t change, like being a woman, getting older, and having a family history of cancer, including breast, ovarian, or even prostate cancer. Fortunately, about 30% of breast cancer cases are linked to risk factors that you can change, including maintaining a healthy weight, staying active, and limiting alcohol intake.

The Importance of Screenings

Early detection saves lives. Mammograms can find cancer before you feel it or see symptoms, which often means more treatment options and better outcomes.

It’s recommended that women start discussing mammogram screenings with their doctor around age 40, and follow a regular schedule based on their risk factors and doctor’s advice. Most breast cancers are found in women over 50, but younger women can be affected, especially if they have strong risk factors.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, more than 39 million mammograms are performed in the U.S. annually, and they are an important reason why death rates from breast cancer have declined by about a third over the past three decades.

Dense Breasts? You Deserve Clear Answers

If your mammogram report notes that you have dense breast tissue, this does make detection harder, but that doesn’t mean mammograms are ineffective. It does mean you may need a conversation about supplemental screening options.

Dense breast tissue can make it harder to detect small cancers on mammograms, as the dense tissue appears white — the same color as potential tumors. This can make it more challenging to detect small cancers on a mammogram, says Stacy Lee, M.D., a diagnostic radiologist on the medical staff at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano.

“Dense breast tissue not only makes it harder to spot potential issues by essentially hiding underlying masses, but it also slightly increases your risk of developing breast cancer,” Lee adds. “That's why it's crucial for you to be aware of your breast density.”

Under new FDA guidelines, every mammogram report must include your breast density status, categorizing it as either “dense” or “not dense.” This requirement is significant because it brings clarity and uniformity to reporting practices across the country. In Texas, Henda’s Law has already required this type of notification since 2012, but now the FDA mandate ensures everyone receives clear and detailed breast density information in their reports.

What To Expect If You’re Called Back After a Mammogram

If you get called back after a mammogram, don’t panic. It’s common — especially after your first screening — and doesn’t mean you have breast cancer.

“We’ve never seen you before and we don’t know what is normal or abnormal for you,” says Jackie Mitchusson, a registered radiologic technologist on the staff at Texas Health Breast Care at Texas Health Dallas. “As you continue getting mammograms, the imaging center and your doctor will compare your new images to the ones you had the year before and the year before that, etc. to look for any changes. But when it’s your first mammogram, we don’t have anything to compare it to, so something may flag that’s completely normal.”

Most callbacks find either benign (noncancerous) changes or cysts. In the United States, about 10% of mammograms lead to a woman being called back for further testing. Of those mammograms, only about 7% lead to a diagnosis of cancer.

“Typically, it’s nothing to worry about but we like to play it safe,” Mitchusson adds. “I tell people all the time if you get called back, especially after your first or first few mammograms, don’t panic, don’t expect the worst.”

Mammograms Save Lives

No matter your fears or concerns, Mitchusson says there’s no excuse too good to put off your mammogram, and she feels there’s no better time to get a mammogram than now thanks to advancements in technology and care.

“This isn’t your grandma’s mammogram,” she says with a laugh. “Honestly, it’s almost not even your mother’s mammogram anymore, that’s how far we’ve come. They’re more comfortable than ever before, the technology is better, and we have so much research and information now.

Cost or access to care should never be a deterrent. Many organizations in North Texas help with free or low-cost mammography.

“And we’re meeting you where you are now. Texas Health offers Mobile Health Screening Mammograms that goes to locations throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth community for women who either can’t afford a mammogram or they can’t get time off work to come in,” Mitchusson adds. “Everyone deserves access to care, but especially lifesaving care like this.”

To schedule a mammogram at a Texas Health facility, visit TexasHealth.org/BreastCare. Early morning, evening and Saturday appointments available at most locations.

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