August 10, 2007 (Insidermedicine) It is recommended that all women have an annual screening mammogram starting at age of 40 to help detect breast cancer. However, a new study published in The Lancet shows that MRI screening is much more effective at detecting breast cancers, which could help prevent the development of life threatening cancers.

This is what we already know about breast cancer:
•    It is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women today
•    In the US, approximately one in eight women will develop breast cancer and about 20% of those under age 40 will die from the disease
•    Mammography screening is recommended for all women over the age of 40

Magnetic resonance imaging – or MRI – is more sensitive than mammography, and can help detect early-stage cancers that may be missed by mammography. However, because this increased sensitivity can also lead to errors in diagnosis, which requires breast biopsy procedures, MRI screening is not currently recommended for all women.

In the present study, more than 7,000 women received MRI in addition to conventional mammography screening over a five-year period. The researchers found that of the 167 women who were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, 92% were detected with MRI, but only 56% were diagnosed with mammography. Surprisingly, MRI wasnt associated with a higher rate of falsely positive.

While mammography and MRI screening are recommended for women at high risk of breast cancer, a yearly mammogram is recommended for all women starting at age 40. As well, all women should perform a monthly breast self-exam, in addition to an annual breast exam in the doctor’s office. If you don’t know how to perform a breast self exam, ask your doctor to show you how. If you see or feel a change in your breasts, see your doctor immediately to rule out the possibility of cancer.

For Insidermedicine in Depth, I'm Dr. Susan Sharma.