成人大片

A group of Australia鈥檚 leading breast cancer researchers is raising awareness about the importance of breast density in detecting breast cancer 鈥� and they鈥檝e released a new easy-to-understand animation to help save women鈥檚 lives.

Released in the lead up to #DenseBreastDay (30 September) and Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October), the explains how breast density can complicate mammogram screening and make it harder for medical professionals to detect breast cancer. This highly engaging animation shows a polar bear hiding in a snow globe as an analogy for cancer hiding in dense breast tissue.

Championed by the 成人大片鈥檚 Associate Professor Wendy Ingman and a national alliance of breast cancer researchers (InforMD), the animation is aimed at helping women to better understand breast density and how it impacts on breast cancer detection.

鈥淗igh breast density is known to increase the risk of breast cancer, and it鈥檚 one of several factors that affect risk, including age, family history and genetic factors,鈥欌�� Associate Professor Wendy Ingman

Breast density refers to how white the breast appears on an x-ray or mammogram. Low density breasts contain mostly fatty tissue and appear darker on a mammogram, whereas high density breasts contain more glands and fibrous tissue.

Dense breast tissue is common and normal 鈥� over 2 million Australian women have dense breasts 鈥� but density can make it harder for a radiologist to identify a cancer on a mammogram as the white tissue looks the same as the white cancer. Breast density is also a known risk factor for breast cancer.

Breast density has nothing to do with how breasts look or feel and can鈥檛 be assessed by a physical examination, only by mammogram.

The animation - the result of a collaboration between InforMD and University of South Australia Design students, and voiced by Adelady鈥檚 Hayley Pearson 鈥� explains breast density and the importance of appropriate breast cancer screening.

鈥淗igh breast density is known to increase the risk of breast cancer, and it鈥檚 one of several factors that affect risk, including age, family history and genetic factors,鈥欌�� said A/Professor Ingman, InforMD spokesperson and The Hospital Research Foundation Breast Cancer Research Fellow. A/Professor Ingman is Lead Researcher, Breast Biology and Cancer Unit, Basil Hetzel Institute for Translational Health Research, and is also a senior member of the Robinson Research Institute.

鈥淲hile you can鈥檛 change these, you can take some steps to reduce your breast cancer risk, like maintaining a healthy body weight and an active lifestyle, limiting alcohol, breastfeeding if possible, and weighing the risks and benefits of hormone therapy for menopause symptoms.

鈥淚t鈥檚 very important to still get regular mammograms. Many cancers can be seen on a mammogram, even if you have dense breasts. A mammogram is the only screening test proven to reduce breast cancer deaths.

鈥淎ll women, regardless of age and breast density, should be familiar with the look and feel of their breasts and check them regularly. If you notice any changes in your breasts, you should speak with your doctor, even if you have recently had a normal mammogram.鈥�
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