Dense breast tissue in screened postmenopausal women: Prevalence and determinants

To explore the prevalence of dense breast tissue among screened postmenopausal women and identify the factors influencing breast density in this population.

A retrospective analysis of data from postmenopausal women screened for breast cancer in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between April 2017 and June 2021 was carried out. Breast density was subjectively assessed, and influencing factors were retrieved from the hospital information system. Proportions were used for descriptive analysis, and binary logistic regression was used to identify the determinants of dense breast tissue.

Only 12.7% of the postmenopausal women had dense breast tissue. Non-Saudi women (odds ratio [OR]=1.95, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.07-3.54], p=0.02) and those who did not breastfeed (OR=2.75, 95% CI: [1.33-5.53], p=0.006) had a greater likelihood of having dense breast tissue. Women who had never been pregnant (nulliparous) were 4 times more likely to have dense breast tissue than those who had been pregnant (parous; p<0.001). Additionally, women with fewer children had a higher chance of dense breast tissue (OR=2.58, 95% CI: [1.23-5.40], p=0.01).

The prevalence of dense breast tissue among screened postmenopausal women was low. However, certain factors increase the risk of having dense tissue in this population, including not being Saudi Arabian, never having breastfed, being nulliparous, and having fewer children.