Breast MRI suggests risk of second breast cancer

Breast tissue characteristics shown on MRI are associated with future risk of a second breast cancer in women with a personal history of breast cancer, according to a study published in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related death in women

Breast cancer survivors with dense breasts have a greater risk of developing a second cancer

Breast MRI has become the imaging method of choice for women with a personal history of breast cancer

"According to the American College of Radiology's annual recommendations for women with dense breasts or breast cancer diagnosed before age 50, more and more Surveillance after breast MRI

Dr.

Breast MRI-enhanced BPE is a known risk factor for breast cancer

Of the 2,668 women who participated in the study, 109 developed breast cancer again during an average follow-up of 5.

Dr Lee said: "The findings suggest that postoperative monitoring of BPE in breast MRI may indicate response to breast cancer treatment and may be a predictor of post-treatment modified risk of second breast cancer in women with a personal history of breast cancer

Dr.

 "Our findings may help to stratify the risk of secondary breast cancer in women with a personal history of breast cancer and to establish individualized imaging surveillance strategies in terms of imaging modality and surveillance interval selection," she said

Additional risk factors include younger age at diagnosis, genetic mutations associated with breast cancer, and hormone receptor expression in initial breast cancer

Future areas of research include the link between screening or preoperative breast MRI and postoperative surveillance breast MRI and changes in BPE between secondary breast cancer development

Dr Lee expects that future risk models will use mammography, ultrasound and MRI together