Year: 2023
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Density notification laws require notifying women of dense breasts with dense breast prevalence varying by race/ethnicity. We evaluated whether differences in body mass index (BMI) account for differences in dense breasts prevalence by race/ethnicity. METHODS: Prevalence of dense breasts (heterogeneously or extremely dense) according to Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System and obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2) were estimated from 2,667,207 mammography examinations among 866,033 women in the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) from January 2005 through April 2021. Prevalence ratios (PR) for dense breasts relative to overall prevalence by race/ethnicity were estimated by standardizing race/ethnicity prevalence in the BCSC to the 2020 U.S. population, and adjusting for age, menopausal status, and BMI using logistic regression. RESULTS: Dense breasts were most prevalent among Asian women (66.0%) followed by non-Hispanic/Latina (NH) White (45.5%), Hispanic/Latina (45.3%), and NH Black (37.0%) women. Obesity was most prevalent in Black women (58.4%) followed by Hispanic/Latina (39.3%), NH White (30.6%), and Asian (8.5%) women. The adjusted prevalence of dense breasts was 19% higher [PR = 1.19; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.19-1.20] in Asian women, 8% higher (PR = 1.08; 95% CI, 1.07-1.08) in Black women, the same in Hispanic/Latina women (PR = 1.00; 95% CI, 0.99-1.01), and 4% lower (PR = 0.96; 95% CI, 0.96-0.97) in NH White women relative to the overall prevalence. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically important differences in breast density prevalence are present across racial/ethnic groups after accounting for age, menopausal status, and BMI. IMPACT: If breast density is the sole criterion used to notify women of dense breasts and discuss supplemental screening it may result in implementing inequitable screening strategies across racial/ethnic groups. See related In the Spotlight, p. 1479.
Institutions: University of California, San Francisco, University of California, Davis, University of Vermont, Virginia Commonwealth University, VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center, Kaiser Permanente, Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, University Medical Center HCMC, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, University of California Davis Medical Center
Language: English
Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funders: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Lake Champlain Cancer Research Organization, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, National Cancer Institute, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Office of Research on Women's Health
OpenAlex ID: W4379600283