mammography – The Metrognome

World’s leading mammography system launched

The machine uses artificial intelligence algorithms to help detect abnormalities that would not normally be seen by the naked eye.

by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

The recent news of Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie undergoing a double mastectomy and the consequent brouhaha over it notwithstanding, the early detection and treatment of breast cancer is a growing concern worldwide. India, too, has rising numbers of women being detected with breast cancer. Most times, early detection can save lives.

Of the ways to detect this disease, doctors advise regular mammography scans. However, not all mammographies can detect abnormalities, and a very high resolution scanning system has been seen to help. Hearteningly for India, such a system was recently launched by eminent doctors in the country.

A mammography scan is a high-resolution X-ray of the breasts. It is done with the intention of early detection of breast cancer. Many studies all over the world have shown time and again that breast cancer has a much better survival rate if detected early. It is a simple procedure and requires no special preparation.

Known as ‘the best mammography system in the world’, the machine Amulet is a low-dose, 50-micron full filed digital mammography system that uses artificial intelligence in detecting abnormalities. Says Dr Harsh Mahajan, Honorary Radiologist to the President of India, “We have seen a sea change in mammography technology over the last couple of decades. It started with screen-film mammography and gradually moved to CR-based mammography, which is still the most popular form of mammography in India today. But with Amulet, we now have the capability to scan the breasts with much more clarity than ever before. The Computer Aided Diagnostics (CAD) system installed with the machine helps direct the radiologist in the direction of lesions that would normally not be seen by the naked eye.”

Dr Venu Gangahar, who says he has used Amulet, said, “We had a patient whose mammogram looked completely normal, but the CAD system directed us to look at a particular part of the breast in greater detail. When we double checked this area after zooming, we realised that there was in fact some micro-calcification, that was further evaluated by MRI which detected a focal suspicious area which might be an earlier cancerous lesion.” According to Dr Gangahar, this patient’s images were previously sent to one of the best cancer centres in the world, who were not able to detect the lesion on initial inspection.

Breast cancer stats:

– One in 28 women in urban India is found to develop breast cancer, according to the Tata Memorial Cancer Center, Mumbai.

– There will be 2,50,000 new cases of breast cancer in India in the year 2015, as per the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

– Early screening can decrease mortality of breast cancer by at least 30 per cent, says the World Health Organisation (WHO).

More breast cancer cases in Mumbai

…as compared to the rest of Maharashtra, say city-based doctors. But awareness of the disease has also gone up significantly.

by The Diarist | thediarist@themetrognome.in

A survey commissioned by a private firm in Mumbai to understand breast cancer symptoms and treatment awareness among women has revealed some interesting results – and put Mumbai in a spot. For, while just a small sample size of women was tested in Powai, doctors reflecting on the survey findings reveal that Mumbai women are increasingly under risk of developing breast cancers, sometimes in both breasts.

Said Dr Dinesh Pendharkar, consultant medical oncologist, SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim, “In Indian metros, breast cancer has already tops the list of women cancers. Breast cancer is three times higher in urban areas compared to rural. If the age-adjusted rates of breast cancer incidence in Mumbai are estimated to be around 29.3 per 1,00,000 population, then in rural Barshi district of Maharashtra, the same figure stands at a low value of 9.4 per 1,00,000. This clearly tells about the impact of life style change on the incidence of cancer.”

The survey methodology was simple: 375 women in the Hiranandani Gardens area of Powai, Mumbai, participated in the survey conducted by International Oncology Services Pvt. Ltd from January to February this year. The participating women had to fill out a questionnaire and give written consent of their participation. Questions ranged from ‘Have you ever visited a breast specialist?’, to ‘Have you got your mammography done within a year?’, and from ‘Do you know at what age breast cancer is more common?’ to ‘Do you think you are at risk?’ There was also a risk factor analysis done for each of the participants.

The results were startling, to say the least: about 79 per cent of women surveyed had never visited a breast specialist. Nearly 33 per cent had not undergone a mammography in a year, but a big 51 per cent were aware that having breast cancer did not always necessitate removal of the breast(s). Meanwhile, 71 respondents qualified for a consultation with a breast doctor on the basis of their risk factor analyses, and six of these women turned out to be candidates for surgery.

Said Dr Neeraj Mehta, business head, International Oncology Services Pvt. Ltd, “One of the major problems is the delay in diagnosing breast cancer. Only if you take regular breast cancer examination will you be able to get it rectified quickly.” He added that breast cancer has been rapidly increasing in urban women, compared to women in rural areas. “Late marriages, stress, irregular lifestyle, diet and pollution can lead to breast cancer, and all of these abound in the urban areas,” he said.

Dr Sanjay Sharma, President of the Breast Cancer Foundation of India, and Surgical Oncology at Bombay and Lilavati Hospitals, said, “The incidence of breast cancer is rising in every country of the world, but especially in developing countries such as India. The incidence of breast cancer varies between urban and rural women; in Mumbai it is about 27 new cases per 1,00,000 women per year, while in rural Maharashtra it is only eight per 1,00,000. Also, the age-group of cancer affected patients is shifting from the late 40s to early 30s.” He added that about five per cent of breast cancers were hereditary; typically, these families had many members fall victim to the disease, which tends to occur at a relatively young age and often affects both breasts.

Doctors advise that apart from regular check-ups with a doctor, women can self-examine their breasts for lumps or any hardness, or an unusual discharge.