[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 112 (Thursday, July 17, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4621-S4622]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Ms. Ayotte):
  S. 2622. A bill to require breast density reporting to physicians and 
patients by facilities that perform mammograms, and for other purposes; 
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, despite significant progress in the 
diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, this continues to be the 
second leading cause of cancer death for women, affecting one of every 
8 women in the United States.
  Women with dense breast tissue may receive a normal mammogram report 
even if cancer is present. Dense breast tissue makes it harder to catch 
cancer early because it can obscure cancer in the mammogram image. This 
is why, for some women, additional screening is so important in 
catching breast cancer early.
  Despite this risk for cancer being missed, when women receive their 
mammogram report there is no Federal standard for them to be told if 
they have dense tissue--even though this is already noted by the 
radiologist reading their mammogram.
  This bill simply requires that women be informed if they have dense 
tissue, and that they may want to talk with their doctor if they have 
questions and to find out if they might benefit from additional 
screening. Early detection is the key to survival. Withholding this 
kind of information from women just doesn't make sense.
  This bill sets a minimum Federal standard, so any state that wants to 
have additional reporting requirements may do so. The bill also 
requires the Department of Health and Human Services to focus on 
research regarding dense breast tissue, and better screening tools. 
Early detection is the key to beating cancer and patients deserve 
access to information that might just save their life.
  I urge my colleagues to join Senator Ayotte and me in supporting the 
Breast Density and Mammography Reporting Act. This commonsense bill 
increases transparency in medicine by

[[Page S4622]]

improving patients' access to their own health information and is 
supported by organizations including the American Cancer Society Cancer 
Action Network, Are You Dense Advocacy, Breast Cancer Fund, and Susan 
G. Komen for the Cure.
  I look forward to working with my colleagues on this important issue.
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