Density alone is not a sign of abnormality. Increased breast density can, however, conceal the findings of breast cancer. It can be associated with fibrocystic disease and result in breast pain. Dense breasts occur as a normal finding in some younger women, are associated with recent pregnancy, and are seen sometimes in women of all ages. Finding cancer in women with dense breasts is more difficult because the signs of cancer may be hidden within the dense breast tissue.
Some women have many benign masses in their breasts.
A large number of cysts and fibroadenomas can exist in women with fibrocystic breast condition. Radiologists interpreting these mammograms look for masses that look different from other masses. Women with many masses in their breasts should still have mammograms, since many cancers will still be detectable while they are still quite small.