Karla Kerlikowske, MD. Professor, Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology/Biostatistics,  Cancer Center Program Membership. Breast Oncology  UCSF

UCSF Study Suggests Women with Dense Breasts or Increased Risk Should Be Offered Digital Breast Tomosynthesis

MedicalResearch.com Interview with:

Karla Kerlikowske, MD. Professor, Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology/Biostatistics,  Cancer Center Program Membership. Breast Oncology  UCSF

Dr. Kerlikowske

Karla Kerlikowske, MD.
Professor, Departments of Medicine and Epidemiology/Biostatistics,
Cancer Center Program Membership. Breast Oncology
UCSF

MedicalResearch.com:  What is the background for this study? 

Response: Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) was developed with the expectation it would improve detection of breast cancer in women with dense breasts and decrease false-positive results. DBT is now available at most breast screening centers.

MedicalResearch.com:  What are the main findings?

Response: We examined whether Digital breast tomosynthesis would decrease the chance of interval or missed cancer and advanced cancers.  We found that DBT did not decrease the risk of interval cancers in women with dense or non-dense breasts.  Advanced cancer rates were decreased in a subset of women with extremely dense breasts and higher than average breast cancer risk, 3.6% of a screening population.

MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?

Response: Most women can undergo Digital breast tomosynthesis or digital mammography and will not change their risk of a missed or advanced cancer.  Women with extremely dense breasts and higher than average breast cancer risk should be offered Digital breast tomosynthesis.

MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?

Response: Future studies will need to examine early-stage and advanced stage rates with Digital breast tomosynthesis by screening round to determine if the early-stage cancer rates increase as advanced stage cancer decreases indicating more aggressive tumors are being diagnosed earlier. 

MedicalResearch.com: Is there anything else you would like to add?

Response: Digital breast tomosynthesis decreased the risk of false-positive results in women with non-dense breasts, but not dense breasts.

Citation:

Kerlikowske K, Su Y, Sprague BL, et al. Association of Screening With Digital Breast Tomosynthesis vs Digital Mammography With Risk of Interval Invasive and Advanced Breast Cancer. JAMA. 2022;327(22):2220–2230. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.7672

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Last Updated on June 15, 2022 by Marie Benz MD FAAD