Evolving Technologies in
Breast Cancer Detection

More than 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. One person is diagnosed with breast cancer every 3 minutes.

Most adult women know that monthly breast self-examinations are a must. But for a more thorough evaluation, which method of annual screening is appropriate, given the emerging new technologies? Different procedures are appropriate based on an individual’s risk.

While there has been a great deal of discussion surrounding Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), not everyone is a candidate for this screening method. The American Cancer Society has recently released the guidelines for proper utilization of MRI as a breast cancer screening tool.

Do You Need an MRI?

• An MRI is appropriate for individuals with a high risk of developing breast cancer.
• An MRI should be performed annually with a mammogram beginning at age 30 for high risk individuals.
• An MRI should be performed if you meet at least one of these criteria:
  • If you have a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. Certain inherited DNA changes can cause an increased risk for developing cancer and are responsible for the cancers that run in some families. BRCA genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2) are tumor suppressor genes. Mutations in these genes can be inherited from one’s parents. When they are mutated, they no longer function to suppress abnormal growth, and cancer is more likely to develop.
  • If you have an immediate relative (parent, child, sibling) with a BRAC1 or BRCA2 mutation.
  • If your lifetime risk of breast cancer has been scored at 20% or greater based on your results from a risk assessment tool, which can be found at www.cancer.gov/bcrisktool.
  • If you’ve had radiation to your chest between the ages of 10 and 30.
  • If you’ve had Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, or Bannayan-Riley Ruvalcaba syndrome.

Are you evaluating the medical necessity of an MRI screening for yourself? Keep in mind that while this screening mechanism is more sensitive than mammography, there are more false positive findings than with mammograms.

Any person with even a low risk of developing breast cancer should get routine mammograms and breast examinations by a physician and perform monthly self-examinations. If you have cancer questions, contact our Cancer Care Navigator, Sharon Francz, at 301-279-6297.