6 Breast Cancer Facts I Think Every Woman Should Know

As your biomedical engineering big sister who studies female reproductive health, there are certain things I wish every woman knew about her body—and breast health is absolutely one of them.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which means we see pink ribbons everywhere. And while awareness campaigns are important, breast cancer awareness needs to go much deeper than wearing pink.

It means understanding your breasts. It means knowing what changes deserve attention. It means understanding your personal risk factors and knowing what questions to ask your healthcare provider. And it means acknowledging that not everyone receives the same access to screening, diagnosis, and treatment.

So, here are six breast cancer facts I think everyone should know.

1. About Half of Women Getting Mammograms Have Dense Breasts

Let's start with something many women don't learn about until they receive their first mammogram: breast density.

Having dense breasts means your breasts contain more glandular and fibrous tissue relative to fatty tissue. I actually have dense breasts myself, which is one reason I think this conversation is so important.

Why does breast density matter?

On a mammogram, fatty breast tissue tends to appear darker, while dense breast tissue appears white.

The problem is that potential cancers can also appear white.

Think about trying to find a snowball in a snowstorm. Dense tissue can make abnormalities more difficult to identify on a mammogram.

But there's another important piece of this conversation: having dense breasts isn't simply an imaging issue. Breast density itself is also an independent risk factor for developing breast cancer.

That doesn't mean having dense breasts means you will develop breast cancer. It means it's an important piece of information to know about your body and discuss with your healthcare provider when determining the screening approach that's appropriate for you.

2. Black Women Are More Likely to Die From Breast Cancer

This is one of the statistics that we absolutely cannot discuss without talking about healthcare disparities.

Black women are slightly less likely to develop breast cancer than white women, yet they are approximately 40% more likely to die from the disease.

And we cannot reduce that disparity to biology.

Medical racism, unequal access to high-quality screening and healthcare, delays in diagnosis, socioeconomic barriers, differences in treatment, and inequities within the healthcare system can all contribute to outcomes.

Breast cancer awareness therefore isn't only about telling women to "get checked."

We also have to ask whether women have access to screening in the first place. Are their symptoms being taken seriously? Are abnormalities being investigated promptly? Are they receiving appropriate treatment after diagnosis?

Women's health advocacy has to include conversations about who is being underserved by our healthcare system.

3. Don't Forget the Area Near Your Armpits

Breast cancer can develop in different areas of the breast, but a large proportion of breast cancers are found in the upper outer quadrant—the area of the breast closest to the armpit.

This is important when you're getting familiar with what your breasts normally look and feel like.

Don't think of breast awareness as checking only the most obvious or central part of your breast. Pay attention to the entire breast and the area extending toward your armpit.

And remember, the goal isn't to make yourself anxious about every tiny difference you notice.

It's to understand what is normal for you.

When you're familiar with your baseline, you're more likely to recognize when something changes.

4. Not All Breast Imaging Is the Same

A mammogram isn't the only type of breast imaging available, and different imaging technologies provide different kinds of information.

Traditional mammography uses X-rays to create images of breast tissue, while 3D mammography, also known as breast tomosynthesis, produces multiple images that allow the breast to be viewed in thin layers.

Then we have ultrasound, which uses sound waves rather than X-rays to create images of breast tissue.

Another technology you may hear about—particularly in conversations about dense breasts—is ABUS, or Automated Breast Ultrasound. ABUS can image nearly the entire breast and may be used as supplemental screening for some people with dense breast tissue.

Breast MRI is another imaging option that may be recommended for certain people at higher risk for breast cancer.

This doesn't mean everyone with dense breasts automatically needs every type of imaging.

Screening should be individualized based on factors such as your breast density, age, family history, genetics, personal medical history, and overall breast cancer risk.

The important thing is knowing that these options exist so you can have an informed conversation with your healthcare provider.

5. Breast Cancer Doesn't Always Feel Like a Lump

I think we've done a good job teaching women to associate breast cancer with finding a lump.

But we've done a much worse job explaining that a lump isn't the only possible warning sign.

Changes worth discussing with your healthcare provider can include:

• A new lump or thickened area in the breast or underarm

• Changes in the size or shape of a breast

• Skin dimpling or puckering

• A nipple that suddenly turns inward

• Unusual nipple discharge

• Persistent changes to the skin of the breast or nipple

And here's the other side of that conversation: some breast cancers may cause no noticeable symptoms at all.

That's one reason appropriate screening matters.

Knowing your body is powerful, but being familiar with your breasts isn't a replacement for recommended breast cancer screening.

6. Your Mammogram Report Should Tell You About Your Breast Density

This is a relatively recent—and incredibly important—change in the United States.

Since September 2024, mammography facilities have been required to notify patients about their breast density in their mammogram results.

So if you've had a mammogram, look at your report.

Don't just see the word "normal" and close it.

Find out whether your breasts are categorized as dense. If they are, talk with your healthcare provider about what that means in the context of your individual breast cancer risk and whether supplemental screening could be appropriate for you.

This is exactly why I talk so much about health literacy.

You deserve to understand the information in your medical records.

You deserve to ask why a test was—or wasn't—recommended.

And you deserve to participate in decisions about your healthcare.

Breast Cancer Awareness Needs to Be More Than Wearing Pink

I want this to be the biggest takeaway.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month shouldn't simply be about putting a pink ribbon on everything during October.

Awareness should lead to knowledge. And knowledge should lead to advocacy.

Learn what your breasts normally look and feel like.

Know your family history when possible.

Read your mammogram report.

Know whether you have dense breasts.

Understand that breast cancer doesn't always present as a lump.

And if something about your body changes and doesn't feel right, bring it up with your healthcare provider.

At the same time, we have to continue talking about the inequities that determine who gets screened early, whose concerns are believed, who receives timely treatment, and ultimately who survives this disease.

Because women's health education isn't about creating fear.

It's about giving women enough information to walk into a doctor's office and confidently say:

"I understand my body. I understand my risk. And I know what questions I want to ask."

That's what breast cancer awareness should look like.