In breast cancer, MRI doesn’t improve treatment
August 17th, 2009 - 1:39 pm ICT by IANSSydney, Aug 17 (IANS) Relying on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess the extent of early breast cancer has not been shown to improve surgical planning, reduce follow-up surgery, or reduce the risk of local recurrences, according to a recent study.
Evidence shows that MRI increases the chances of more extensive surgery over conservative approaches, with no evidence that it improves surgical care or prognosis.
Trials have shown women with early stage breast cancer who are treated with breast-conservation therapy (local excision and radiotherapy) have the same survival rates as those who undergo mastectomy.
Recently, MRI has been introduced in pre-operative staging of the affected breast in women with newly diagnosed breast cancer because it detects additional areas of cancer that do not show up on conventional imaging.
The current review was conducted by Nehmat Houssami, University of Sydney and Daniel F. Hayes, University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Centre.
They examined MRI’s detection capability and its impact on treatment.
After reviewing the data, the authors concluded that there is evidence that MRI changes surgical management, generally from breast conservation to more radical surgery, but that there is no evidence that it improves surgical treatment or outcomes.
“Overall, there is growing evidence that MRI does not improve surgical care, and it could be argued that it has a potentially harmful effect,” the authors concluded.
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Tags: breast cancer, breast conservation therapy, comprehensive cancer centre, conservative approaches, detection capability, excision, magnetic resonance imaging, mastectomy, michigan comprehensive cancer, mri changes, prognosis, radical surgery, recurrences, stage breast cancer, staging, study evidence, surgical management, survival rates, university of michigan, university of sydney
