Mammography News and Research

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A mammogram is a safe test used to look for any problems with a woman's breasts. The test uses a special, low-dose x-ray machine to take pictures of both breasts. The results are recorded on x-ray film or directly onto a computer for a radiologist to examine.

Mammograms allow the doctor to have a closer look for breast lumps and changes in breast tissue. They can show small lumps or growths that a doctor or woman may not be able to feel when doing a clinical breast exam. "Mammography" is the best screening tool that doctors have for finding breast cancer.

If a lump is found, your doctor may order other tests, such as ultrasound or a biopsy--a test where a small amount of tissue is taken from the lump and area around the lump. The tissue is sent to a lab to look for cancer or changes that may mean cancer is likely to develop. Breast lumps or growths can be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer). Finding breast cancer early means that a woman has a better chance of surviving the disease. There are also more choices for treatment when breast cancer is found early.

Mathematical model helps women determine frequency of mammograms

Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston have devised a mathematical tool that predicts how the frequency of mammograms affects the number of lives saved by detecting breast cancers at an earlier stage.

20 Feb 2005

Clinical breast examination offers modest benefit to breast cancer screening program

Adding clinical breast examination to a mammography screening program provides only a modest benefit in detecting cancer, a new study shows.

3 Feb 2005

The European mammography systems market

With breast cancer being identified as one of the leading causes of death among European women, several governments have begun to launch extensive screening and awareness programmes across the region. However, some countries have still not implemented the planned programmes due to budgetary or socio-economic constraints.

19 Jan 2005

Patients with cancer detected on screening mammography undergo less toxic treatment

Women who have their breast cancers detected by physical examinations are at least twice as likely to undergo toxic treatments than those who have their cancer detected by mammography—regardless of the age of the woman, a new study shows.

28 Dec 2004

Using precise, radioactively labeled genetic probes, researchers study cancer gene activity from outside the body

Using precise, radioactively labeled genetic probes, researchers at Jefferson Medical College have seen cancer gene activity from outside the body in laboratory mice. The probes, which work by attaching to genetic codes copied from an active cancer gene, may someday aid physicians and scientists in cancer detection and in determining the appropriate treatment for a cancer.

13 Dec 2004

Breast MRI moderately useful for detecting breast cancer

In women with breast lesions that are suspicious for cancer, based on clinical examination or mammography, performing a breast MRI has high sensitivity but only moderate specificity for detecting breast cancer, but does not necessarily eliminate the need for tissue sampling, according to a study in the December 8 issue of JAMA.

8 Dec 2004

Guidelines needed for the use of androgens for women with sexual dysfunction

The Endocrine Society, which represents more than 12,000 endocrinologists who are specially trained to diagnose, treat and conduct basic and clinical research on complex hormonal disorders, has called for new clinical guidelines on the use of androgens in women/female sexual dysfunction.

3 Dec 2004

Pain, embarrassment, and lack of time, major reasons for women not electing breast cancer screening

While breast cancer screening in rural America remains underutilized, barriers to screening mammography in poor, rural areas are marked by significant racial disparities, according to a new study.

25 Oct 2004

52% of the late-stage breast cancer cases were associated with an absence of screening

Efforts focused on increasing the use of screening mammography among targeted groups of women should be made a top priority to achieve the largest reduction in late-stage breast cancers, according to the authors of a new study in the October 20 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

21 Oct 2004

Mammograms encouraged by U.S. Senator Larry Craig and his wife

U.S. Senator Larry Craig and his wife Suzanne are reminding women across the country to be screened for breast cancer as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

16 Oct 2004

Call for UK and Luxembourg governments to put access to quality cancer treatment at the top of their health agendas

Speaking today at a workshop on 'Cancer treatment: a priority for patients in Europe', cancer specialists and representatives of cancer patients called on the UK and Luxembourg governments to put access to quality cancer treatment at the top of their health agendas during their Presidencies of the EU in 2005.

7 Oct 2004

Women in New York City continue to receive mammograms at much lower levels than those outside the downstate region

Women in New York City continue to receive mammograms at much lower levels than those outside the downstate region, while Kings County (Brooklyn) still has the lowest county-specific mammography rate, according to IPRO's second annual "snapshot" of mammography usage in New York State.

5 Oct 2004

Breast density, rapid tumor growth contribute to mammogram failure in women in their forties

Lower sensitivity of mammography in women aged 40 to 49 years compared with older women can be largely explained by greater breast density and rapid tumor growth in the younger women

5 Oct 2004

Over 170,000 Canadians took part in the largest single-day, fundraising event for breast cancer in Canada

Over 170,000 Canadians, many of them survivors, ran, walked, cheered or volunteered today as part of the largest single-day, fundraising event for breast cancer in Canada. The Run – in its 13th year – raised $19.2 million to boost breast cancer research and programs.

4 Oct 2004

Small proportion of women eligible for discussions about use of tamoxifen to prevent cancer

A survey conducted in primary care practices showed that a small proportion of women are eligible for discussions about use of tamoxifen to prevent cancer, and of those women, the proportion of breast cancers that would be prevented is also small

26 Sep 2004

Study on the long-term health effects associated with silicone breast implants

It is estimated that between 1.5 million and 2 million women in this country have had breast implants since they first appeared on the market in 1962.

23 Sep 2004

Women starting mammography on time, but failing to follow up

A new study finds most women now follow the recommendation to receive their first screening mammogram at age 40, but there is widespread failure to return promptly for subsequent exams and several sub-populations of women still are not being screened by the recommended age.

12 Sep 2004

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