Findings from the UF study, a retrospective review of 79 women ages 29 to 82 who had localized noninvasive or early stage invasive breast cancer and were planning to have a lumpectomy, were presented at the Southern Surgical Associations 119th annual meeting in Hot Springs, Va. Study participants had undergone preoperative MRI which provides highly detailed images of the breast, particularly in women whose breast tissue is very dense for diagnostic purposes and, when indicated, MRI-directed biopsies for preoperative evaluation of suspicious areas between January 2006 and July 2007.
Were talking about MRIs for patients who have breast cancer and would like to save the breast, to make sure there is (no other cancer) in the breast that would eliminate them from breast conservation, said Edward M. Copeland III, M.D., the Edward R. Woodward professor of surgical oncology and endocrine surgery at UF.
Until now, few studies have focused on the use of breast MRI for confirmation of the extent of disease in patients already found to have cancer through traditional imaging methods. Recommendations published earlier this year in the New England Journal of Medicine touted the merits of annual breast MRI for screening women with a high lifetime risk of breast cancer because of family history or their genetic makeup, but did not advocate widespread use.
In the UF study, 21 patients underwent an MRI-guided biopsy after preoperative breast MRI revealed a suspicious area. About 40 percent of the biopsies revealed additional cancer. The MRI led to a change in treatment plan in 19 percent of the study sample. Overall, approximately three-fourths of patients underwent a partial mastectomy, also known as lumpectomy or breast-conserving surgery, while one-fourth ultimately had a total mastectomy, UFs chairman of surgery William G. Cance, M.D., reported Wednesday morning.
UF surgeons say
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| Contact: Melanie Fridl Ross ufcardiac@aol.com 352-690-7051 University of Florida Source:Eurekalert |