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Amy Colton makes fresh vegetable juice for herself and her... (Karen T. Borchers/Mercury News file)
Sen. Joe Simitian on Wednesday announced a second push for a bill aimed at catching breast cancer earlier in women who face elevated risks for the diagnosis.
The proposal, which enjoys broad legislative support but was vetoed last year by Gov. Jerry Brown, ensures that women are informed of their breast density when they get mammography results, potentially giving them the opportunity for supplemental screenings and early detection of a disease that could otherwise be missed. The bill is based on the experience of breast cancer survivor Amy Colton of Soquel, a registered nurse who was diagnosed with an advanced form of the disease despite regular screenings.
"By sharing my story, I'm hoping to prevent what happened to me from happening to others," said Colton, later adding: "I believe this is a grave injustice for any woman to find out she has dense breast tissue after a diagnosis of cancer."
Despite several years of getting a clean bill of health, Colton was diagnosed with breast cancer that had metastasized into her lymph system. She had a mastectomy, five surgeries and 15 rounds of chemotherapy.
The diagnosis was likely missed because of something Colton learned only later - like an estimated 40 percent of women who get mammographies, she had dense breast tissue.
Studies have shown dense breasts can increase cancer risks, but dense tissue also pose another danger: it shows up white on film and can conceal tumors.
Simitian's bill requires women to be notified if they have dense tissue. Brown vetoed it after concerns were raised by several medical groups, including the California Medical Association, which feared the bill would increase medical costs and lead women to believe regular mammographies are inadequate.
Simitian, a Democrat from Palo Alto who represents part of Santa Cruz County, has called the veto his biggest disappointment from the 2011 legislative session, and said Wednesday he is working to address Brown's concerns with the bill.
"I have been in touch with the governor and am hopeful that if we continue to negotiate ... we will get to yes later on this year," Simitian said.
The bill passed out of the state Senate and Assembly last year with minimal opposition. Simitian has lined up solid support this time around as well, with majorities of both houses volunteering to co-sponsor the bill.
Follow Sentinel reporter Jason Hoppin on Twitter @scnewsdude