A new law signed today by Gov. Andrew Cuomo will require medical
professionals to tell patients if dense breast tissue is
discovered during a mammogram. The idea, according to backers of
the bills, is to make sure women with dense tissue are aware of
the potential increased risks associated. In particular, it can
be harder to find lumps or cancerous tumors when the tissue is
dense. “Early detection can save lives and this new law will
give women who may be at a higher risk for breast cancer the
information they need to consult with their physician about
follow-up screening and other preventive measures,” Cuomo said
in a statement. The bill was sponsored by Assemblywoman Ellen
Jaffee, D-Suffern, Rockland County, and Suffolk County Sen. John
Flanagan, a Republican. The new law takes effect in 180 days.
When it becomes law, a patient with dense breast tissue will
receive this notification after a mammogram: “Your mammogram
shows that your breast tissue is dense. Dense breast tissue is
very common and is not abno