Bucks Congressman Introduces Legislation Aimed to Curb Breast Cancer

Bucks County Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick is one of three legislators who on Wednesday introduced legislation aimed to curb breast cancer through regular screenings.

The Breast Density and Mammography Reporting Act ensures a patient’s relative breast density is determined during a mammogram.

Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) are introducing a companion bill in the Senate, Fitzpatrick said.

“As the son and brother of breast cancer survivors, and a cancer survivor myself, I am fully committed to providing a strong voice in Congress for the needs of cancer patients, families and doctors in my district and around the nation,” said Fitzpatrick.

According to Fitzpatrick, studies have shown that women with dense breast tissue, approximately 40 percent of the population, are at least four times more likely to develop breast cancer. Women with dense breast tissue are also more likely to have an inaccurate mammogram reading because of their tissue density. Only 40 to 50 percent of cancer in dense breast tissue is identified in a mammogram, he noted.

About 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 American women die from the disease annually, according to figures provided by Fitzpatrick’s office.