MIAMI, Mar 06 (Reuters Health) -- A specialized type of imaging study called
MRI can be a very useful tool in monitoring the success of breast cancer
treatment, according to a presentation here during the 17th annual Miami Breast
Cancer Conference.
"MRI can be a catalyst for change because it gives us a chance to visualize
tumors and clearly observe a response," Dr. Laura J. Esserman of the University
of California, San Francisco, told attendees.
MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, can capture the size, pattern, and
uniformity of large tumors, and allow assessment of tumor vascularity and
volume, she said.
At her institution, researchers have performed a pilot study of 33 patients
with stage II or III breast cancer. Patients underwent four cycles of
chemotherapy and MRI scanning. They found that MRI could accurately show tumor
size after chemotherapy, and helps doctors locate tumors more precisely than
physical examination alone.
But a larger study is needed to verify the value of MRI, Esserman said, and
her group will be conducting a prospective study at five sites later in the year
in collaboration with other investigators. They hope to define molecular and
imaging markers that would allow better prediction of response to treatment at
the beginning of therapy.
