Three big-name players in the imaging world announced they’re partnering in a bid to boost early breast cancer detection and reduce false positives.
The American College of Radiology, GE Healthcare and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation are all working in tandem to test the use of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM). They’ll weigh whether the screening method is more accurate at finding cancer in women with dense tissue when compared to a combination of digital breast tomosynthesis and whole breast ultrasound.
“The goal is to reduce false positive rates while improving breast cancer detection,” Dorraya El-Ashry, PhD, chief scientific officer for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, said in a Monday, Dec. 2, announcement. “Early detection remains key to improving breast cancer outcomes and our collective goal is to optimize critical tools for diagnosis.”
CESM pairs mammography alongside vascular-based methods that allow radiologists to pinpoint areas of unusual blood flow with simple testing. Early use of the imaging tool has demonstrated an ability to increase cancer detection rates by upward of 80% when compared to traditional mammography, the partners noted. Several other studies have shown that CESM has diagnostic accuracy superior to that of standard digital mammography, Radiology Business reported last year.
Targeted for a spring 2020 start, the Contrast Enhanced Mammography Imaging Screening Trial will test the use of CESM to screen women between the ages of 40 and 75 who have dense breasts and an average to intermediate risk of getting cancer. Results will then be contrasted with those gathered using tomosyntheses and ultrasound together.
Christopher Comstock, MD, director of breast imaging clinical trials for New York City-based Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, will serve as principal investigator, with GE Healthcare providing the technological backing. Those involved hope the trial will eventually lead to more custom-made treatment options for patients.
“We know that one size does not fit all when it comes to breast care, and that it’s critical to offer a personalized approach to breast cancer screening,” Agnes Berzsenyi, president and CEO of women’s health at GE Healthcare, said in the announcement.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.