Testing It Up

A small town in Pennsylvania has recently been given a medical equipment upgrade.

In their press release, Easton Hospital Health and Wellness Center reported that it is now home to the latest technology in breast cancer detection: 3D mammography. This breakthrough technology allows for a three-dimensional examination of the breast tissue for a closer scrutiny. The procedure improves the assessment of the breast structure by distinct separation of overlapping tissues.

Also called breast tomosynthesis, this novel technique reduces the physical pain during scanning. Unlike conventional mammography wherein the breast tissue is subjected to pressure, this technique uses no pressure. This development alone has sparked interest in women who are hesitant to undergo mammography because of the pain. The 3D mammography system used in Easton is called Selenia Dimensions breast tomosynthesis, which is ergonomically designed for better patient comfort.

But more than the benefits of a pain-free procedure, the greatest advantage of 3D imaging is the clarity of the images. Easton’s 3D Mammography system generates crisp imaging details, thereby giving radiologists a higher confidence level in diagnosis. Results from a 3D mammography system are expected to be far better than the conventional method.

The procedure involves scanning the breast in several angles. The machine then takes 1-mm scans of the tissue, and then reconstructs the images to form a three-dimensional image of the breast. From the digital image, radiologists can then examine the breast for abnormalities or signs of breast cancer.

Easton Hospital Health and Wellness Center is located in Forks Township, Northampton County, PA.

Life, they say, begins at 40, and according to a recent recommendation update from the American Medical Association (AMA), so should breast cancer screening among women.

Women who turn 40 should be eligible for screening mammography, and that they should be able to have that screening covered by their insurance.

The report quoted Dr. Patrice A. Harris, AMA board member, who said: “Early detection of breast cancer increases the odds of a patient’s survival, and mammography screenings are an important tool in discovering this cancer. Patients are different and have varying degrees of cancer risk, and patients should regularly talk with their doctors to determine if mammography screening is right for them.”

The AMA recommendation is in conflict with that of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), as mentioned in a report on MedPage Today.

In 2009, the USPSTF recommended against routine screening mammography for breast cancer for women younger than 50. A number of medical groups disagreed with the USPSTF recommendations, including the American Cancer Society, the American College of Radiology, and the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. In addition to its recommendations on breast cancer screening, the USPSTF also said that PSA testing for prostate cancer detection does not really save lives, and usually results in unnecessary testing, intervention, and treatment.

The AMA House of Delegates also voted to adopt a resolution at stated that the AMA “expresses concern regarding recent recommendations by the USPSTF on screening mammography and prostate specific antigen (PSA) screening and the effects these recommendations have on limiting access to preventive care for Americans.”

More than $600,000 will go towards the fight against breast cancer, after the event “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” wrapped up on Sunday.

There were seven such fund-raising events held around the state of New Jersey, and one event in particular – a 5K walk – set a fund raising — as well as participant turnout — record for North New Jersey, raising $619,200, with eight thousand people participating in the event. The walkers consisted of three hundred breast cancer survivors, their families, friends, and caregivers, among others.

In keeping with the traditional color of breast cancer awareness, the event was bathed in a wave of pink – from pink shirts and socks, to pink hair and wigs, as well as pink ribbons.

In addition to raising money for breast cancer, the event also provided an opportunity for people to learn more about breast cancer, via advocacy tents and information booths.

Desiree Carton, a spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society, Eastern Division, shared that an estimated 7,360 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in New Jersey this year, and an estimated 1,260 women will succumb to the disease. However, 98 percent of patients may survive breast cancer, for as long as the disease is detected early enough, with the help of such screening procedures as mammograms.

Among those who attended the event is breast cancer survivor Gen Nicastro of Whippany. Her husband, Phil Nicastro, shared: “When my wife was diagnosed, it brought a whole new meaning to us… Having seen what she went through made me want to participate in the walk.”

And participate they did, indeed. The Nicastro team had 74 members, including Gen’s 78-year-old mother. The team raised $11,000.

At the ongoing annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago, mammography still remains to be a “hot topic,” even a year after the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) issued revised guidelines for mammography, as shared in a feature on MedPage Today.

The annual meeting will include a special expert panel on mammography guidelines, and serves as a venue for the presentation of two studies that focus on breast cancer screening modality. The studies will be presented on Monday and Wednesday at press briefings.

A group from the London Breast Institute will present a study that analyzed data on annual mammograms from the age of 40, and the risks associated with mastectomy.

A group led by researchers from the University of Washington Medical Center will present the results of a study involving a restrospective analysis on cancer yield. The cancer yield analyzed in the study is based on a combination of screening mammography and MRI among women with a personal history of breast cancer, on top of a strong family history of the disease.

The special expert panel on mammography guidelines, on the other hand, included James Brink, MD, of Yale, Bill Hendee, PhD, of Medical College of Wisconsin, and Christoph Wald, MD, PhD, of Tufts. The panel discussed issues regarding medical imaging safety, among others.

In an interview with MedPage Today, Mary Mahoney, MD, of the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and president of the RSNA, shared: “We want to address ‘overutilization’ and clear up some misconceptions. Some things have been overstated, which have people too fearful. We don’t want patients to not get a test that they really do need.”

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