Discussing breast density after mammograms may cause unneeded anxiety, study finds

The research found women told about their breast density were more likely to seek advice from their GP and were also more likely to feel anxious. Photograph: Marina Krasnokutska/Alamy

Telling women whether they have dense breasts as part of their breast cancer screening results may leave them feeling unnecessarily anxious and confused, according to a study.

Breast density refers to the level of glandular and fibrous tissue relative to fat in breasts. Dense breast tissue is a risk factor for breast cancer, and can also make mammograms more difficult to read.