INDIANAPOLIS— October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month and a big focus is on women with dense breast tissue.
Doctors say it's a type of tissue that can make it more difficult to detect cancer with traditional scanning technology.
"I was terrified and I still get very scared," said Michelle Artmeier.
June 6, 2024 was a day that changed Michelle Artmeier's life.
"When I got the phone call with the diagnosis I cried and couldn't believe it was happening," said Artmeier. "I have young children and they need me."
The diagnosis hits close to home.
She works for IU Health and has experience working with cancer patients.
"When I was diagnosed I was working to split our breast surgery group into their own division," said Artmeier. "It was kind of ironic timing that I was diagnosed at the same time I was really helping get this new clinical operation off the ground."
Michelle has dense breast tissue which can make it harder to detect signs of cancer with a traditional mammogram.
Dr. Carla Fisher is Michelle's provider and says if you have dense tissue, you need to get additional screenings.
"The first thing is to identify if you have dense breast tissue or not and it will say on your mammogram report," said Fisher. "There's automated breast ultrasound screenings and a newer technology called abbreviated breast MRI."
Dr. Fisher says those have both been shown in studies to increase sensitivity of finding abnormal findings with dense breast tissue.
It's routine check-ups like this Michelle is urging others to do.
"It can be very easy to miss not just for the person who's reviewing it but also for the equipment," said Artmeier. "Having follow-up exams and going beyond having a mammogram are very important."
New legislation surrounding dense breast tissue has made its way into Indiana. If House Bill 1058 is passed, it would require providers to tell patients what type of tissue they have based on new classifications.
WATCH | The recommended age for breast cancer screening is lowered
