Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the ``Breast Density and Mammography Reporting Act,'' a simple, yet potentially life-saving solution to ensure that women receive their own medical information. I thank Senator Heller for working with me on this bipartisan bill and I appreciate Representatives DeLauro and Fitzpatrick for introducing a House companion to this legislation. We have accomplished so much in the treatment and diagnosis of breast cancer, and it still continues to be the second leading cause of death for women in the United States and the leading cause of cancer death among Hispanic women. Mammograms have aided tremendously in early detection efforts, helping many more women survive this diagnosis. For women with dense breast tissue, however, a mammogram may not be capturing the whole picture. Dense breast tissue and cancer tumors look similar on a mammogram and make cancer harder to detect in women with higher breast density. Unfortunately, many women are never told about their tissue density on the report they receive after their screening, even though it is assessed and reported to their health care provider. This leaves women unaware their mammogram could be missing signs of cancer. If a patient doesn't have information to begin with, how would she know to ask her doctor about what additional screening might be right for her? There is currently no Federal requirement for women to receive notice that they have dense breast tissue on their mammogram report.…”