Detecting cancer in women with dense breasts: MRI?

I have dense breasts and now get the 3D Mammogram.

I had this call some years ago and not knowing better, I disregarded when they stated that both breasts were heterogenously dense which may prevent them from seeing a mass in some cases. No one recommended the MRI or ultrasound. Instead, 3-D mammograms were recommended. Here I am years later and diagnosed with DCIS (invasive Triple negative).
My breast cancer was found when I had a breast lift, note that I had a 3-D mammogram prior to the lift. Due to the dense breast tissue the mammography did not pick up on the nodules in my right breast. I have advised my friends and family to inquire if they have dense breast tissue and if so, request a MRI or ultrasound in addition or alone from the regular mammogram.

This is what I was getting too.

My endocrinologist told me that breast cancer likes to metastasize to the bones. My twice a year Prolia injections are a good protection against that, he says.
I haven’t heard of it going to the skin, but my dermatologist said I shouldn’t be surprised to find new growths (not cancerous ) popping up randomly on my body.

I've been called back (because of "dense breasts") and had 3 biopsies. The first time I was called back for a second look was in 2018. There was calcification. A biopsy was done---even though I was not told in advance that they would be plunging a 3 foot long needle into my right breast---and it was found to be benign. (I've always wondered if I should have refused to go along with their plan to do this solid core stereotactic biopsy without informing me that that was "the plan" in advance. A passing radiologist said I could have waited and come back in 6 months and monitored the calcification that way, and I wonder(ed) if digging around in there caused the tumor to form that was found on Pearl Harbor Day in 2021. Since that fine needle biopsy, I think it was, which confirmed an 11 mm, tumor, I've had a lumpectomy and been through the mill with adjuvant therapy and 33 radiation sessions. I was subjected to a third diagnostic mammogram on the one-year anniversary of my surgery (1/27/2022) when I paid for an ultrasound (HerScan) out of pocket and flunked it. The 2018 biopsy was so painful that I held out for gathering all of my mammograms and using the comparison to determine if I had yet another tumor, one year later. This was quite an undertaking, involving hospitals in Illinois, Iowa and Texas, but I had had them faithfully at yearly intervals and when they arrived no new tumors were seen. I have read up on calcification and it seems that if it begins to show up in a line, it is worse than random spots seen. I will not willingly subject myself to a stereotactic biopsy if I can avoid it by waiting for them to assemble all of my mammograms through the years. It was very painful and took months to heal, despite the messaging about what a piece of cake it is. The one that found the tumor was done with a needle that had a curly tail like a pig's tail and was significantly less painful (Otherwise, I might have refused to go through with it on Dec. 7, 2021).

My breast cancer did not show up on 3D/ Dx mammogram. Doctor found lump on annual visit. I had to push for an ultrasound which lead to stereotactic biopsy. The cancer was confirmed. Glad I didn’t take Radiologist recommendations to wait 6 more months. Just finished my 5 year AI treatment. Due to my dense breast tissue and hx of breast cancer, they are going to continue mammograms and MRI rotation every 6 months. Radiologist Oncologist told me the MRI is not a problem even after having radiation treatments and the dye normally isn’t a problem for people w/o kidney disease. I feel better having a check every 6 months considering my dense breast tissue.

May I ask your age?? I’m new at this dx and I’m 71.

I was 65 at diagnosis. I’m 70 now.

I am 78. Found breast cancer 8 months ago. My breasts are dense, but it didn't seem to affect things. I had 3D mammogram, ultrasound right after that and a consult with a surgeon and representative of the oncology doctor. I am now heading into surgery in may.

I was diagnosed with Invasive Lobular Carcinoma 2 years ago. It’s a pretty familiar story in that I have dense breasts but had annual mammograms regularly. For so many years now ( I was 70 at the time of diagnosis), got the letter declaring nothing had changed and to come back in a year. The cancer didn’t show up on a mammogram or the ultrasound but they did a MRI to find my left breast was so full of cancer they couldn’t do a mastectomy at that time. It’s quite common with this type of cancer to not be seen on mammograms and it’s a slow growing cancer but it had metastasized in my skin (our largest major organ). After 6 months of taking Exemestane, the margins were good enough for surgery so they did a bilateral mastectomy. That showed it had metastasized in my lymph nodes. They removed 19 nodes, 17 of which were cancerous . They couldn’t remove any more so now J am trying to learn to live with incurable cancer.

The medical system is broken in this way. Insurance companies won’t pay for MRIs unless it’s absolutely necessary so this cancer goes undetected but when it is detected it’s usually Stage 3 or 4.
It’s seldom felt I’m a lump so so one does anything.

My daughters are now in High Risk Breast Cancer Clinics in their respective cities where they get 2 screenings a year - one mammogram and 1 MRI. If nothing else good comes of this, my daughters will have far better imaging than I did. No one ever suggested this to me but they certainly should have!