Texas gov. signs breast density law
 

http://www.dotmed.com/news/story/16361/

Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed into law last week a bill that requires breast density risks to be spelled out in reports mailed to women after their mammogram.

Texas Act HB 2102, known as "Henda's Law," is named after Henda Salmeron, a Dallas woman diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer in 2009, after a mammogram failed to find the cancer because of the density of her breast tissue, according to patient advocates. .....................................

Re: Texas gov. signs breast density law
 

This is great. I was never told this either until I was also diagnosed as Stage 2 as well.

It was then that I had to get all my past mammos and reports to see the surgeon. Of course, I read all the detailed reports that my primary care physician had gotten. They clearly stated I had dense breasts. So dense in fact that the radialogist wrote that he was not sure that mammos were even effective for me and that I should get MRIs. This was never relayed to me in any way. Hence, the first doctor firing I did during this adventure. Also, demanding the entire diagnostic report sent to me for every procedure I get.

Re: Texas gov. signs breast density law
 

Finally taking things beyond "get your mammogram". Imagine how much closer women would self examine if they knew the false negative rate of standard mammos.
It's great the radiologist mentioned the limitations. That PCP was lucky you only fired him. Probably avoided mentioning it because of presumed lack of insurance coverage.

Re: Texas gov. signs breast density law
 

Rich -

Thank-you so much for posting this. It made me cry. I would have my life back if this was law in CA.

Sadly, w/extremely dense tissue (that I was N.E.V.E.R.) told about, and extremely fybrocystic tissue, that I freaked out about since I was 36 years old, everyone ALWAYS told me (clinically) that fybrocystic tissue (super lumpy), was nothing to be worried about.

EVERYONE was wrong. All the fybrocystic lumps in my left breast were cancer, that no one ever saw on the 4 years of my solid white mammo's. I went into this at Stage 3c, when I was 44 years old. The surgeon told me what happened - w/dense tissue, etc. When I asked to see ALL my mammo reports, they all said "interpretation based on extremely dense tissue". no one ever told me.

I've been on chemo for 6 years, and lost more than I could have imagined. I'm now on LTD. I usually keep my spirits up - but when I see things like this, it's heartbreaking.

This NEVER had to be like this . . .

There's a nurse in CA who is a victim of dense tissue as well - but, she has fortunately not gone to Stage IV. She is trying to get a similiar bill passed. She is making major progress, but said it's very "political".


Why is it political to tell woman the truth about their breasts? I'm guessing becuz NO ONE wants to pay for the extra preventive care we need (different testing - MRI, or ultrasound, etc).

But, how does years of chemo and all the lost taxes by the woman who could of been working justify this insanity?

Kim

Re: Texas gov. signs breast density law
 

Yep. Truth is a bargain...

Re: Texas gov. signs breast density law
 

Please follow www.areyoudenseadvocacy.org. (Also on Facebook) We are a grassroots effort of women (brave ladies from Texas and California working on bills there included) trying to get density inform laws passed in every state. We are also working on a federal bill draft. California and New York both have bills still pending this session, we need women from different states to start the legislative process where they live. Please contact us through the website if interested, in the meantime, spread the word - women MUST ask about their density and insist on further screening if they have dense breasts. Trying to find a tumor on a dense breast is like trying to find a snowball in a blizzard.