MRIs for Breast Cancer Screening—Who Needs Them?
Many experts believe that mammograms save lives. Since the widespread introduction of mammography to screen for breast cancer in the mid-1980s, the number of women ages 50 and older getting mammograms has more than doubled. Pair that figure with steady drops in breast cancer deaths since the 1990s.
But some health care professionals argue that mammograms are not enough for some women at high risk for breast cancer. New studies suggest that MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) may improve the early detection of cancer in women at high risk.
Current Screening Guidelines for Women at High Risk
According to the American Cancer Society, you are considered at high risk for breast cancer if you answer yes to any of these questions:
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Do you have a first-degree relative (parent, brother, sister, or child) with a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation, but have not had genetic testing done yourself?
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Do you have Li-Fraumeni syndrome, Cowden syndrome, or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, or have one of these syndromes in first-degree relatives?
If you're a woman at high risk for breast cancer, you should ask your doctor if you should have more frequent screenings, with a variety of tests, starting at a younger age. For women at high risk, some experts recommend monthly breast self-exams starting between ages 18 and 21, clinical breast exams one to two times a year, and yearly mammography starting at about age 30. The American Cancer Society recommends that women known to be at high risk get an MRI along with a mammogram every year, starting at age 30.
How MRIs Work
Instead of the X-rays used in mammography, an MRI uses magnets and radio waves connected to a computer to make many detailed pictures of the breast. A woman receives an injection of a contrast dye, called gadolinium-DTPA, to better outline the breast tissue and possible tumors.
Researchers have found that MRIs given to women with a high risk of hereditary breast cancer detected tumors that mammography or clinical breast exams had missed.
One reason MRIs may find these tumors is because high-risk women tend to be younger and have denser breasts. This means that the breast has less fat and more fiber-like connective tissue, which can block X-rays during a mammogram. An MRI is not affected by dense, fibrous breast tissue.
Drawbacks of MRIs
It's also important to weigh the pros and cons of MRIs for defined groups of high-risk women. Here are some of their drawbacks:
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MRIs may have a high rate of false positives. A false positive means it looks like cancer but is not. MRIs are more sensitive, which means they are more likely to find tissue changes that turn out to not be cancer. This leads to further testing to determine if the suspicious lump is actually cancer. These tests may include another MRI, other tests, or biopsies.
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Women may have an allergic reaction to the contrast dye. The dye injected before an MRI can possibly, though rarely, cause an allergic reaction. In some patients the thought of receiving an injection can increase anxiety.
Schedule a Mammogram at Richmond University Medical Center
Early detection and treatment is the best strategy for a better cancer outcome. Schedule your mammogram at RUMC: Call 718-818-3280.
Kathy Giovinazzo is Director of Radiology at Richmond University Medical Center.
For More Information
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Dr. Thomas Forlenza at 718-816-4949. His office is located at 1366 Victory Blvd on Staten Island.
Dr. Forlenza is the Director of Oncology at Richmond University Medical Center.