Early detection of breast cancer helps patients maximize their chances to seek early treatment and, in turn, achieve eventual remission. Early treatment can also help folks preserve their quality of life, which might otherwise be compromised by the more invasive and extensive treatments required for more advanced cancers, and reduce the heavy financial burdens that often accompany such treatments.
In 2023, Supervisor Simitian authored a proposal directing County staff to come up with options for improving the availability of diagnostic imaging to County residents. Simitian said he hoped to see “more screenings, in more places, serving more people,” and specifically called out the need for additional, alternative screening technologies particularly for women with dense breast tissue.
In 2012 as a State Senator, Supervisor Simitian authored Senate Bill 1538, which required that, following a mammogram, women are notified if they have dense breast tissue and the range of alternative screening options they should discuss with their doctor. A federal rule went into effect on September 10, 2024, requiring mammography facilities nationwide to notify patients of their breast density in their mammogram reports. This is important because it makes the standard uniform across the U.S., which means that women who have dense breast tissue anywhere in the country will be notified that they have dense breast tissue and may want to discuss additional screenings with their doctor.
