About Careers MedBlog Contact us
Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Advertisement

Study Says MRI Scans may Lead to Delayed Breast Cancer Treatment

by Rajashri on September 9, 2008 at 3:14 PM
Font : A-A+

 Study Says MRI Scans may Lead to Delayed Breast Cancer Treatment

A new study says that women with newly diagnosed breast cancer, who receive an MRI scan, are likely to delay their treatment and opt for a mastectomy.

Dr. Richard J. Bleicher, a specialist in breast cancer surgery at Fox Chase Cancer Centre, said that there was no evidence that MRI improved outcomes when used routinely to evaluate breast cancer.

Advertisement

"For most women, an MRI scan prior to treatment is unnecessary. MRI can be of benefit because it's more sensitive, but with the high number of false positives and costs associated with the test, more studies are needed to determine whether MRI can improve outcomes in women with breast cancer," he said.

Bleicher and his colleagues analysed the records of 577 breast cancer patients seen in a multidisciplinary breast clinic where they were evaluated by a radiologist, pathologist, and a surgical, radiation, and medical oncologist.
Advertisement

Of the study subjects, 130 had had MRIs prior to treatment.

"Those who received an MRI had a three-week delay in the start of their treatment," said Bleicher.

"In addition to the treatment delay, we're concerned that the well-documented false-positive rate with MRIs may be leading - or misleading - women into choosing mastectomies," he added.

The study also showed that younger women were more likely to have an MRI.

"In our analysis, that trend didn't correspond with various breast cancer risk factors, such as a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, nor with the characteristics of their disease," said Bleicher.

"MRI is a valuable tool in some women, but without evidence that routine pre-treatment MRI improves a woman's outcome, its disadvantages suggest that it should not be a routine part of patient evaluation for treatment," he added.

The study was presented at the 2008 ASCO Breast Cancer Symposium.

Source: ANI
RAS/L
Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Reading

Latest Cancer News

 Myelofibrosis: New Drugs to Revolutionize Treatment
The approvals of pipeline drugs such as momelotinib and Vonjo for myelofibrosis (a rare type of blood cancer) over some time will handle the critical unmet needs.
 Blood Vessels Can Kill Cancer Cells and Stop Breast Cancer Spread
New study highlights the dual role that blood vessels can play in cancer immunotherapy and eliciting anti-tumor immune responses or even preventing breast cancer spread.
 Weed Killer Agent Orange May Increase the Risk of Blood Cancer Among Veterans
New study evaluated the association between exposure to the chemical agent orange and the development of blood cancer with increased bleeding and blood clot formation.
Two Years: Optimal Duration of Immunotherapy in Advanced Lung Cancer
Study suggests two-year immunotherapy treatment for advanced lung cancer may be reasonable
Hope for Lethal Brain Tumors: Targeted Therapy Delays Glioma Progression
A ray of hope for glioma patients as targeted therapy boosts treatment duration.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Study Says MRI Scans may Lead to Delayed Breast Cancer Treatment Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests