In America, women have breast cancer second in frequency after skin cancer. During the year, 216,000 new cases are found, and 40,000 deaths.

Scientists based on independent observational data of women in 6 clinics in the Netherlands found that in patients at risk of developing breast cancer, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detects tumors 2 times more often than a simple mammogram. At the same time, they stipulate that, firstly, the MRI has a higher cost, and secondly, the diagnosis is most often due to biopsy results, according to the Internet publication for girls and women aged 14 to 35 Pannochka. Net Mammography is recommended for all women over 50 years of age. For those who have heredity for breast cancer or have detected certain genes, MRI will be much more informative, say scientists.

Surveyed 1909 women, 358 of whom had a BRCA gene or other mutations predisposing to breast cancer. At half of such women to 50 years the tumor develops. The risk can be reduced by removing the mammary glands and ovaries, or taking estrogen-containing drugs. At the same time, careful dynamic observation makes it possible to detect a tumor with a high probability even at a stage when it still responds well to treatment. Although, ideally, surgical treatment, as a means of preventing breast cancer, should still be avoided.

After 3 years of follow-up, 45 cases of breast cancer were detected, 32 of which were detected with MRI, while in 22 patients mammography did not detect a tumor. Only in 18 patients out of 45 the tumor was able to visualize mammography. In the US, this technique "does not see" 15 to 25% of tumors.

Despite the high sensitivity of MRI, this technique more often than mammography gives false positive results. Therefore, after it is carried out, the need to confirm the diagnosis with biopsy is almost twice as likely. Especially effective use of MRI in young patients with early stage of breast cancer even before the appearance of metastases.

Despite the preliminary nature of the results of the study, the authors of the study believe that a wider use of MRI will, over 15 years, reduce breast cancer mortality by 20% -25%.

Specialists of the American Cancer Society recommend that women at high risk undergo both mammograms and MRI, due to the fact that sometimes an X-ray study detects something that has not been fixed by MRI. If the MRI is still performed, it is better to conduct it in the middle of the menstrual cycle, then the results will be more reliable.

Despite the fact that the cost of MRI is about ten times higher than that of mammography, many insurance companies agree to cover expenses, for women at high risk.

Medicus. En.

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