U-Systems Inc.:
CLINICAL PROBLEM: Dense Breast Tissue Increases Cancer Risk
A study published in the current issue of Cancer found that breast cancer patients with dense breasts have a 4x higher risk of recurring malignancy. This bolsters previous studies, including one published in NEJM (356:227-236, 1/18/2007), which showed:
- dense breast tissue as a significant risk factor for breast cancer;
- dense breasts often mask the appearance of tumors making them difficult to detect with mammography
- approximately 35 percent of breast cancer goes undetected by mammography in women with dense breasts
CLINICAL STUDY: Ground-Breaking Ultrasound Breast Cancer Screening Study
The SOMO•INSIGHT study is a nationwide multi-center clinical study designed to evaluate whether digital mammography in combination with the somo•v Automated Breast Ultrasound System (ABUS) is more sensitive to detecting breast lesions when compared to digital mammography alone in women with dense breasts:
- intends to recruit over 20,000 women at 12 breast imaging centers nationwide
- study goal is to provide the scientific foundation for the establishment of the standard for ultrasound breast cancer screening
WHY: Ultrasound Improves Detection in Dense Breasts
According to a study published in JAMA (299(18):2151-2163, 5/14/2008), the addition of ultrasound for the screening of breast cancer significantly improves detection rates among women who have dense breast tissue.