Siobhan Freeney: Raising Concerns Over Breast Density Reporting in Ireland

Siobhan Freeney, Founder of the Lobular Ireland, shared on LinkedIn:

“For 3 consecutive days Women from all over Ireland rang in to our National Radio Station RTE to speak about their individual experiences of late breast cancer diagnoses as they directly related to Breast Cancer Screening and Imaging, the absence of Breast Density Reporting in Ireland, their fury at being dismissed and having their concerns ignored.

Kieran Cuddihy since they and I spoke to you on Liveline we submitted a Commencement Matter to the Minister for Health which was taken up last week in the Seanad.

Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill was not available to respond on 24th Sept but Deputy Mary Butler TD Houses of the Oireachtas replied. Her statement was beyond disappointing. Her opening remarks referenced ‘Body Shape and Breast Density’ which could not be more misleading and inaccurate. We feel it’s wholly disingenuous to speak with such an apparent lack of awareness and understanding on this issue.

We have invited both the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill TD and Mary Butler TD to attend the Breast Density Briefing in Leinster House on October 13th at 12.00.

As of today we note that neither one has indicated they will attend. All Ministers and Senators have been invited.

In the interest of sharing informed facts:

• Breast Density has nothing to do with Body Shape. Breast Density is a Radiological finding and can only be seen on a Woman’s Mammogram, it is assessed by the Radiologist(s) who reads the Mammogram.
• Breast Density can mask tumors on Mammograms in Dense Breasts.
• Dense breasts are not the same as lumpy breasts.
• Breast Density has nothing to do with Breast size or shape.
• Breast Density is not palpable.
• Having Dense Breasts carries a 4 – 6 times increased risk for developing Breast Cancer. Up to 50% of all Cancers, including Ductal Cancers can be missed in Dense Breasts.
• The efficacy for Mammograms to detect Invasive Lobular Cancer in Dense Breasts can plummet to as low as 11%.

Women and families will be outside Leinster House to discuss from 10.30am on October 13th, before the Briefing as Media will not be granted access to the Dáil Briefing Session.”

Find out more here.

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