Did you see the New York Times yesterday and their article about screening mammography (Cancer Society, in Shift, has Concern on Screenings, NYT 10/21/09)? We did.
"I think most women can be confused by the passion around the 'arguments'," says Connie Lehman, MD, director of Imaging at SCCA. "And I do think our best approach in the media is to have a clear, concise message on the importance of early detection of breast cancer."
Dr. Lehman goes on to say that the concerns of potential harms associated with mammography are real....and as physicians and researchers, they "are invested in understanding how imaging can alleviate overtreatment and alleviate the burdens of aggressive treatment of cancer or high risk lesions."
Because of SCCA's mission for research, many of the studies conducted here address concerns of overtreatment and harms associated with interventions. There are several examples including:
- Research on U.S. women under 30 that supports an ultrasound exam rather than biopsy or a surgical excision to safely assess young women with palpable lumps.
- Research that clarifies how best to manage high-risk cancer patients with high-risk lesions
- Research involving short interval follow-up after biopsy to reduce unnecessary exams, and
- Problem solving with MRI as well as MR biopsy's predictive features to avoid biopsy when risk of a malignancy is low.
A lot of great research is going on here to make sure patients are safe and treated effectively. The bottom line is that women need a clear message -- mammography is very important for the early detection of breast cancer.
~Amy
