Clarity key to early diagnosis, proper treatment planning for breast cancer

According to figures released by the American Cancer Society, in 2009 more than 40,000 women and 440 men will die from breast cancer in the United States. Breast cancer is second only to lung cancer in cancer deaths among women in the United States, and except for skin cancer, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among American women. This year more than 192,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected to occur among women.There is no effective prevention for breast cancer, making breast screening and early detection the keys to improved survival and conservation of the breast and its functionality.And the key to early detection is the clarity and resolution of the breast images, says Jui-Lien “Lillian” Chou, MD, founder of The Breast Center at Wellness Lubbock. To serve patients in Lubbock and across the region, The Breast Center at Wellness Lubbock provides comprehensive medical care to identify and treat all forms of breast cancer.Traditional mammograms, while serving as a valuable screening tool, can miss some early cancers, explains Dr. Chou. Digital mammography images are superior in clarity to analog images, but even digital mammograms can fail to show lesions or tumors in the breast that are smaller than 1 centimeter (10 millimeters). Mammogram’s sensitivity for detecting breast cancer is only around 50 percent, leaving the possibility of missing the other 50 percent of breast cancers.Dedicated breast MRI, on the other hand, provides diagnostic images which catch 95 percent of breast cancers, including lesions as small as 1 millimeter in size, 1/10th the size of those detectable by mammography alone. In addition, breast MRI can detect tumors which are located close to the chest wall, as well as pinpoint multiple tumors.“The sensitivity of breast MRI, particularly its superior image quality and precision, makes it uniquely suited as a diagnostic resource,” says Dr. Chou. “In addition to regular mammograms, many women can benefit greatly from having breast MRI, including those with newly diagnosed breast cancer, a personal history of breast cancer, a strong family history of breast cancer, BRCA mutation, dense breast tissue, incomplete or abnormal mammogram, and breast implants. The goal is to detect cancer as early as possible for a better treatment outcome.”The B

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