Early detection breakthrough for women with dense breast tissue

Women with dense breast tissue face a higher risk of breast cancer and may not get full protection from standard mammograms, a new study shows. Dense breasts, which have relatively low levels of fatty tissue, can make it harder for x-rays to detect small tumours, meaning early-stage cancers may go unnoticed.

Researchers have long explored supplementary imaging methods such as ultrasound and MRI to improve cancer detection in women with dense breasts. Now, a large trial in the UK has directly compared these approaches with contrast mammography in women whose regular mammograms showed no signs of cancer.

The phase 3 randomised controlled trial included over 9,000 women with dense breasts and negative mammograms.

The findings revealed that fast MRI and contrast mammography detected cancers in 1.7% and 1.9% of cases, respectively, while ultrasound detected only 0.4%. The study shows that these additional scans are more effective in spotting early-stage cancers that might otherwise be missed. Lead author Professor Fiona Gilbert from the University of Cambridge said the results could have implications beyond the UK for all countries using breast cancer screening.

Source: The Lancet