The AP (1/16) reports the Wisconsin Assembly has passed a bill Tuesday to require mammogram providers to notify female patients if they have dense breast tissue, which “supporters say...will help them make better health choices since it’s more difficult to detect cancerous tumors in women with dense breast tissue.” Through the legislation, providers must “give women a notice explaining that they have what is known as ‘dark tissue’ and they can talk with their doctor about whether they need additional cancer screening.” The bill will go to the state Senate.

Aunt Minnie (11/10) reported that bipartisan legislation “that would standardize communication to women regarding whether they have dense breast tissue on mammography” has been “introduced in both the US House” and Senate. Among other things, the legislation “would set a minimum federal standard, as designated by the US Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), for notification about dense tissue and recommend that women discuss with their healthcare providers whether they would benefit from additional screening.” 

Aunt Minnie (11/9) reports that “the American College of Radiology’s (ACR) expert panel on breast imaging has published appropriateness criteria for breast cancer screening.” The criteria were published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. 

Medscape (11/3, Nelson) reported that “last year, the French Minister for Health requested that the French National Cancer Institute organize a broad public and scientific consultation on breast cancer screening.” Although it is “still a work in progress, the subsequent report [pdf] issued in April 2017 called for multiple reforms and could be the beginning of a more personalized approach to breast cancer screening.” Medscape added, “In a Viewpoint article published online...in JAMA Internal Medicine, three experts summarize the reforms and offer some insight on how they differ from efforts in other countries.” 

MedPage Today (9/1, Frieden) reported that the Food and Drug Administration “approved a device to allow patients to control the pressure on their breast while undergoing a mammogram.” According to Alberto Gutierrez, PhD, director of the Office of In Vitro Diagnostics and Radiological Health at the FDA’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health, “Regular mammograms are an important tool in detecting breast cancer. However, some patients may experience anxiety or stress about the discomfort from the compression during the mammogram. This device allows patients some control over the amount of compression for their exam.” The Senographe Pristina with Self-Compression device is by GE Healthcare and “employs a handheld wireless remote control that patients use to adjust the compression force after the breast has been positioned.” Additional coverage is provided by Aunt Minnie (9/1).