Latest news with #AB-MRI
Medscape
27-05-2025
- Business
- Medscape
New Imaging Triples Dense Breast Cancer Detection
Supplemental imaging techniques could more than triple cancer detection in dense breasts compared with standard care alone, according to new research. The study, published in The Lancet , found that abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (AB-MRI) and contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM) could help detect an additional 3500 breast cancer cases per year in the UK. Around 2.2 million women undergo breast cancer screening each year in the UK. Approximately 10% have very dense breasts. Understanding Breast Density Breast density refers to the proportion of glandular and fibrous connective tissue relative to fatty tissue as seen on mammography. Dense breasts contain more glandular and fibrous tissue and less fatty tissue. Women with the densest breasts have a four-fold higher cancer risk than those with fatty breasts. They are also more likely to receive delayed diagnoses. Professor Fiona Gilbert from the Department of Radiology at the University of Cambridge told Medscape News UK that introducing these imaging techniques to routine screenings could save around 700 lives each year. "Existing research indicates that around one in five cancers detected via screening become life-threatening without intervention," said Gilbert, who is also honorary consultant radiologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital. The interim results form part of the Breast Screening - Risk Adapted Imaging for Density (BRAID) study. It is the first study to compare each imaging technique in women with normal mammograms and dense breast tissue. Study Methodology Researchers recruited more than 9000 women aged 50 to 70 years with dense breasts who had received negative mammograms. Participants were randomly assigned to undergo AB-MRI, automated whole breast ultrasound (ABUS), CEM, or the current standard of care, full-field digital mammography. The primary outcome measured detection rate, defined as the percentage of women with positive supplemental imaging results leading to histologically confirmed breast cancer. Key Findings AB-MRI detected 17.4 cancer cases per 1000 examinations. CEM detected 19.2 cases per 1000. ABUS detected 4.2 cases per 1000. Of these, 15 per 1000 for AB-MRI, 4.2 for ABUS, and 15.7 for CEM were invasive cancers. Detection rates for AB-MRI and CEM were similar and significantly higher than for ABUS. Secondary outcomes included the difference in recall rates and tumour characteristics among the arms. Both AB-MRI and CEM had recall rates of 9.7%. ABUS had a 4% recall rate. Invasive tumours found by AB-MRI and CEM were half the size of those detected by ABUS. Safety Profile No adverse events occurred in the ABUS group. The AB-MRI group had one case of extravasation but no other adverse events. The CEM group experienced 24 iodinated contrast events: 17 minor, six moderate, one severe, and three extravasations. 'There were some adverse reactions to IV iodine (the contrast agent in CEM) but this is already commonly used (about 40% of CT scans), and these people could still be offered AB-MRI. As such, the fact that there are two options (CEM and AB-MRI) that performed equally well, can be a real benefit,' said Gilbert. Study Limitations The researchers noted that they could not measure screening benefit and overdiagnosis. 'Some of the detected cancers would not have gone on to become life threatening if left alone,' according to Gilbert, who said that 'a future challenge for research is to work out how we can get better at telling the difference between the ones that will become harmful and the ones that won't." The cohort will be followed for 3 years to account for possible relapses and interval cancers. Recall rates for AB-MRI and CEM improved as clinicians became more familiar with analysing the scans. However, care should be taken to minimise these should the supplementary techniques be introduced to population screening, the authors noted. According to Gilbert, the study made use of technologies that are already widely available without additional costs or resources. However, she noted that a cost-benefit analysis is needed before the techniques could be integrated into routine screening. Kotryna Temcinaite, head of research communications and engagement at Breast Cancer Now, called for the research findings to be considered. 'If the UK National Screening Committee recommends additional imaging for screening women with very dense breasts, we'll push for those changes to be rolled out as quickly as possible across the UK,' she said.
North Wales Chronicle
22-05-2025
- Health
- North Wales Chronicle
Improved breast screening could detect extra 3,500 cancers a year in UK
A new trial found extra scans for some women can pick up early-stage cancers that remain 'hidden' during regular mammograms – more than trebling cancer detection. Researchers from the University of Cambridge are now calling for additional scans to be added to breast screening programmes for the group of women who have very dense breasts. Around 10% of women have very dense breasts, which means they have more fibrous and glandular tissue and less fatty tissue than other women. Those with dense breasts are already known to face a fourfold increased risk of breast cancer compared to women without. The new trial, published in the Lancet medical journal, was carried out on 9,361 women across the UK who have dense breasts and had a negative (no cancer) mammogram result. During the trial, which looked at additional scanning methods, an extra 85 cancers were found. The two methods examined were contrast enhanced mammography (CEM), where dye is used to make blood vessels more visible, and abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (AB-MRI), which is faster than a regular MRI. The experts calculated that adding either of these methods to existing breast screening could detect 3,500 more cancers per year in the UK. And because screening reduces death for about 20% of cancers detected, this could mean an extra 700 lives saved each year, they said. A third scanning method used in the trial – automated whole breast ultrasound (ABUS) – also picked up cancers but was much less effective than CEM and AB-MRI. Overall, per 1,000 women scanned, CEM detected 19 cancers, while AB-MRI found 17 and ABUS found four. With mammograms already detecting around eight cancers per 1,000 women with dense breasts, additional scans could therefore more than treble breast cancer detection. At the moment, because denser breasts look whiter on mammograms, the usual mammogram scan cannot pick up all these cancers. Early-stage cancers also appear white, meaning they are difficult to distinguish. Professor Fiona Gilbert, from the University of Cambridge and honorary consultant radiologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital, led the study. She said: 'Getting a cancer diagnosis early makes a huge difference for patients in terms of their treatment and outlook. 'We need to change our national screening programme so we can make sure more cancers are diagnosed early, giving many more women a much better chance of survival.' In the study, the researchers concluded: 'Abbreviated MRI and contrast-enhanced mammography detected three times as many invasive cancers compared with ABUS, with cancers being half the size. 'This study shows that supplemental imaging could lead to earlier detection of cancer in women with dense breasts.' The trial was funded by Cancer Research UK with support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. Professor Stephen Duffy, from Queen Mary University, London, the trial statistician and a screening programme expert, said: 'The NHS breast screening programme has made a huge difference to many lives. 'Thanks to these results, we can see that the technology exists to make screening even better, particularly for the 10% of women with dense breast tissue.' Dr David Crosby, head of prevention and early detection at Cancer Research UK, said: 'This study shows that making blood vessels more visible during mammograms could make it much easier for doctors to spot signs of cancer in women with dense breasts. 'More research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness of these techniques, but these results are encouraging.' At the moment, the UK National Screening Committee does not recommend any additional imaging for women with dense breasts who have a negative result on a mammogram. Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, head of research communications and engagement at Breast Cancer Now, said: 'The UK National Screening Committee now needs to consider this research as part of their current review to determine whether women with very dense breasts should be offered additional imaging during their routine screening. 'If the UK National Screening Committee recommends additional imaging for screening women with very dense breasts, we'll push for those changes to be rolled out as quickly as possible across the UK. 'Routine breast screening is the most likely route to finding breast cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful. 'While we know that the current process can be less effective in detecting cancers in dense breasts, we still encourage all women to attend mammogram screening when invited.' Addenbrooke's patient Louise Duffield was one of 85 women diagnosed with cancer thanks to the additional scans used in the trial. Aged 60, the grandmother of four from Ely, Cambridgeshire, had an AB-MRI scan which identified a small lump deep inside one of her breasts. She said: 'When they rang to say they'd found something, it was a big shock. 'You start thinking all sorts of things but, in the end, I just thought, 'at least if they've found something, they've found it early'. The staff were brilliant, and so supportive.' A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Research is being conducted into the use of additional tests for women with dense breasts, as part of the NHS breast screening programme. 'The UK National Screening Committee is reviewing this evidence as it becomes available.'
Powys County Times
22-05-2025
- Health
- Powys County Times
Improved breast screening could detect extra 3,500 cancers a year in UK
Improved breast screening in the UK could identify an extra 3,500 cancers per year and save hundreds of lives, researchers have said. A new trial found extra scans for some women can pick up early-stage cancers that remain 'hidden' during regular mammograms – more than trebling cancer detection. Researchers from the University of Cambridge are now calling for additional scans to be added to breast screening programmes for the group of women who have very dense breasts. Around 10% of women have very dense breasts, which means they have more fibrous and glandular tissue and less fatty tissue than other women. Those with dense breasts are already known to face a fourfold increased risk of breast cancer compared to women without. The new trial, published in the Lancet medical journal, was carried out on 9,361 women across the UK who have dense breasts and had a negative (no cancer) mammogram result. During the trial, which looked at additional scanning methods, an extra 85 cancers were found. The two methods examined were contrast enhanced mammography (CEM), where dye is used to make blood vessels more visible, and abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (AB-MRI), which is faster than a regular MRI. The experts calculated that adding either of these methods to existing breast screening could detect 3,500 more cancers per year in the UK. And because screening reduces death for about 20% of cancers detected, this could mean an extra 700 lives saved each year, they said. A third scanning method used in the trial – automated whole breast ultrasound (ABUS) – also picked up cancers but was much less effective than CEM and AB-MRI. Overall, per 1,000 women scanned, CEM detected 19 cancers, while AB-MRI found 17 and ABUS found four. With mammograms already detecting around eight cancers per 1,000 women with dense breasts, additional scans could therefore more than treble breast cancer detection. At the moment, because denser breasts look whiter on mammograms, the usual mammogram scan cannot pick up all these cancers. Early-stage cancers also appear white, meaning they are difficult to distinguish. Professor Fiona Gilbert, from the University of Cambridge and honorary consultant radiologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital, led the study. She said: 'Getting a cancer diagnosis early makes a huge difference for patients in terms of their treatment and outlook. 'We need to change our national screening programme so we can make sure more cancers are diagnosed early, giving many more women a much better chance of survival.' In the study, the researchers concluded: 'Abbreviated MRI and contrast-enhanced mammography detected three times as many invasive cancers compared with ABUS, with cancers being half the size. 'This study shows that supplemental imaging could lead to earlier detection of cancer in women with dense breasts.' The trial was funded by Cancer Research UK with support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. Professor Stephen Duffy, from Queen Mary University, London, the trial statistician and a screening programme expert, said: 'The NHS breast screening programme has made a huge difference to many lives. 'Thanks to these results, we can see that the technology exists to make screening even better, particularly for the 10% of women with dense breast tissue.' Dr David Crosby, head of prevention and early detection at Cancer Research UK, said: 'This study shows that making blood vessels more visible during mammograms could make it much easier for doctors to spot signs of cancer in women with dense breasts. 'More research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness of these techniques, but these results are encouraging.' At the moment, the UK National Screening Committee does not recommend any additional imaging for women with dense breasts who have a negative result on a mammogram. Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, head of research communications and engagement at Breast Cancer Now, said: 'The UK National Screening Committee now needs to consider this research as part of their current review to determine whether women with very dense breasts should be offered additional imaging during their routine screening. 'If the UK National Screening Committee recommends additional imaging for screening women with very dense breasts, we'll push for those changes to be rolled out as quickly as possible across the UK. 'Routine breast screening is the most likely route to finding breast cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful. 'While we know that the current process can be less effective in detecting cancers in dense breasts, we still encourage all women to attend mammogram screening when invited.' Addenbrooke's patient Louise Duffield was one of 85 women diagnosed with cancer thanks to the additional scans used in the trial. Aged 60, the grandmother of four from Ely, Cambridgeshire, had an AB-MRI scan which identified a small lump deep inside one of her breasts. She said: 'When they rang to say they'd found something, it was a big shock. 'You start thinking all sorts of things but, in the end, I just thought, 'at least if they've found something, they've found it early'. The staff were brilliant, and so supportive.' A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Research is being conducted into the use of additional tests for women with dense breasts, as part of the NHS breast screening programme. 'The UK National Screening Committee is reviewing this evidence as it becomes available.'
Glasgow Times
21-05-2025
- Health
- Glasgow Times
Improved breast screening could detect extra 3,500 cancers a year in UK
A new trial found extra scans for some women can pick up early-stage cancers that remain 'hidden' during regular mammograms – more than trebling cancer detection. Researchers from the University of Cambridge are now calling for additional scans to be added to breast screening programmes for the group of women who have very dense breasts. Around 10% of women have very dense breasts, which means they have more fibrous and glandular tissue and less fatty tissue than other women. Those with dense breasts are already known to face a fourfold increased risk of breast cancer compared to women without. The new trial, published in the Lancet medical journal, was carried out on 9,361 women across the UK who have dense breasts and had a negative (no cancer) mammogram result. During the trial, which looked at additional scanning methods, an extra 85 cancers were found. The two methods examined were contrast enhanced mammography (CEM), where dye is used to make blood vessels more visible, and abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (AB-MRI), which is faster than a regular MRI. The experts calculated that adding either of these methods to existing breast screening could detect 3,500 more cancers per year in the UK. And because screening reduces death for about 20% of cancers detected, this could mean an extra 700 lives saved each year, they said. A third scanning method used in the trial – automated whole breast ultrasound (ABUS) – also picked up cancers but was much less effective than CEM and AB-MRI. Overall, per 1,000 women scanned, CEM detected 19 cancers, while AB-MRI found 17 and ABUS found four. With mammograms already detecting around eight cancers per 1,000 women with dense breasts, additional scans could therefore more than treble breast cancer detection. At the moment, because denser breasts look whiter on mammograms, the usual mammogram scan cannot pick up all these cancers. Early-stage cancers also appear white, meaning they are difficult to distinguish. Professor Fiona Gilbert, from the University of Cambridge and honorary consultant radiologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital, led the study. She said: 'Getting a cancer diagnosis early makes a huge difference for patients in terms of their treatment and outlook. 'We need to change our national screening programme so we can make sure more cancers are diagnosed early, giving many more women a much better chance of survival.' In the study, the researchers concluded: 'Abbreviated MRI and contrast-enhanced mammography detected three times as many invasive cancers compared with ABUS, with cancers being half the size. 'This study shows that supplemental imaging could lead to earlier detection of cancer in women with dense breasts.' The trial was funded by Cancer Research UK with support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. Professor Stephen Duffy, from Queen Mary University, London, the trial statistician and a screening programme expert, said: 'The NHS breast screening programme has made a huge difference to many lives. 'Thanks to these results, we can see that the technology exists to make screening even better, particularly for the 10% of women with dense breast tissue.' Dr David Crosby, head of prevention and early detection at Cancer Research UK, said: 'This study shows that making blood vessels more visible during mammograms could make it much easier for doctors to spot signs of cancer in women with dense breasts. 'More research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness of these techniques, but these results are encouraging.' At the moment, the UK National Screening Committee does not recommend any additional imaging for women with dense breasts who have a negative result on a mammogram. Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, head of research communications and engagement at Breast Cancer Now, said: 'The UK National Screening Committee now needs to consider this research as part of their current review to determine whether women with very dense breasts should be offered additional imaging during their routine screening. 'If the UK National Screening Committee recommends additional imaging for screening women with very dense breasts, we'll push for those changes to be rolled out as quickly as possible across the UK. 'Routine breast screening is the most likely route to finding breast cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful. 'While we know that the current process can be less effective in detecting cancers in dense breasts, we still encourage all women to attend mammogram screening when invited.' Addenbrooke's patient Louise Duffield was one of 85 women diagnosed with cancer thanks to the additional scans used in the trial. Aged 60, the grandmother of four from Ely, Cambridgeshire, had an AB-MRI scan which identified a small lump deep inside one of her breasts. She said: 'When they rang to say they'd found something, it was a big shock. 'You start thinking all sorts of things but, in the end, I just thought, 'at least if they've found something, they've found it early'. The staff were brilliant, and so supportive.' A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Research is being conducted into the use of additional tests for women with dense breasts, as part of the NHS breast screening programme. 'The UK National Screening Committee is reviewing this evidence as it becomes available.'
Leader Live
21-05-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
Improved breast screening could detect extra 3,500 cancers a year in UK
A new trial found extra scans for some women can pick up early-stage cancers that remain 'hidden' during regular mammograms – more than trebling cancer detection. Researchers from the University of Cambridge are now calling for additional scans to be added to breast screening programmes for the group of women who have very dense breasts. Around 10% of women have very dense breasts, which means they have more fibrous and glandular tissue and less fatty tissue than other women. Those with dense breasts are already known to face a fourfold increased risk of breast cancer compared to women without. The new trial, published in the Lancet medical journal, was carried out on 9,361 women across the UK who have dense breasts and had a negative (no cancer) mammogram result. During the trial, which looked at additional scanning methods, an extra 85 cancers were found. The two methods examined were contrast enhanced mammography (CEM), where dye is used to make blood vessels more visible, and abbreviated magnetic resonance imaging (AB-MRI), which is faster than a regular MRI. The experts calculated that adding either of these methods to existing breast screening could detect 3,500 more cancers per year in the UK. And because screening reduces death for about 20% of cancers detected, this could mean an extra 700 lives saved each year, they said. A third scanning method used in the trial – automated whole breast ultrasound (ABUS) – also picked up cancers but was much less effective than CEM and AB-MRI. Overall, per 1,000 women scanned, CEM detected 19 cancers, while AB-MRI found 17 and ABUS found four. With mammograms already detecting around eight cancers per 1,000 women with dense breasts, additional scans could therefore more than treble breast cancer detection. At the moment, because denser breasts look whiter on mammograms, the usual mammogram scan cannot pick up all these cancers. Early-stage cancers also appear white, meaning they are difficult to distinguish. Professor Fiona Gilbert, from the University of Cambridge and honorary consultant radiologist at Addenbrooke's Hospital, led the study. She said: 'Getting a cancer diagnosis early makes a huge difference for patients in terms of their treatment and outlook. 'We need to change our national screening programme so we can make sure more cancers are diagnosed early, giving many more women a much better chance of survival.' In the study, the researchers concluded: 'Abbreviated MRI and contrast-enhanced mammography detected three times as many invasive cancers compared with ABUS, with cancers being half the size. 'This study shows that supplemental imaging could lead to earlier detection of cancer in women with dense breasts.' The trial was funded by Cancer Research UK with support from the National Institute for Health and Care Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. Professor Stephen Duffy, from Queen Mary University, London, the trial statistician and a screening programme expert, said: 'The NHS breast screening programme has made a huge difference to many lives. 'Thanks to these results, we can see that the technology exists to make screening even better, particularly for the 10% of women with dense breast tissue.' Dr David Crosby, head of prevention and early detection at Cancer Research UK, said: 'This study shows that making blood vessels more visible during mammograms could make it much easier for doctors to spot signs of cancer in women with dense breasts. 'More research is needed to fully understand the effectiveness of these techniques, but these results are encouraging.' At the moment, the UK National Screening Committee does not recommend any additional imaging for women with dense breasts who have a negative result on a mammogram. Dr Kotryna Temcinaite, head of research communications and engagement at Breast Cancer Now, said: 'The UK National Screening Committee now needs to consider this research as part of their current review to determine whether women with very dense breasts should be offered additional imaging during their routine screening. 'If the UK National Screening Committee recommends additional imaging for screening women with very dense breasts, we'll push for those changes to be rolled out as quickly as possible across the UK. 'Routine breast screening is the most likely route to finding breast cancer early, when treatment is most likely to be successful. 'While we know that the current process can be less effective in detecting cancers in dense breasts, we still encourage all women to attend mammogram screening when invited.' Addenbrooke's patient Louise Duffield was one of 85 women diagnosed with cancer thanks to the additional scans used in the trial. Aged 60, the grandmother of four from Ely, Cambridgeshire, had an AB-MRI scan which identified a small lump deep inside one of her breasts. She said: 'When they rang to say they'd found something, it was a big shock. 'You start thinking all sorts of things but, in the end, I just thought, 'at least if they've found something, they've found it early'. The staff were brilliant, and so supportive.' A Department for Health and Social Care spokesperson said: 'Research is being conducted into the use of additional tests for women with dense breasts, as part of the NHS breast screening programme. 'The UK National Screening Committee is reviewing this evidence as it becomes available.'
