HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Routine Use Of MRI Scans To Evaluate Breast Cancer Challenged By Study

gdpawel · 09-08-2008, 11:44 AM

This study sounds like another "Oncologists' Guaranteed Employment Act Of 2008."

Getting an MRI delays the start of chemo by three weeks.

Got to give that chemo sooner rather than later.

There's no evidence that MRIs improve a woman's odds of survival.

MRIs were not approved because they saved lives in a controlled clinical trial that compared the outcome of patients who received care with or without the benefit of an MRI. They were approved because their performance characteristics (sensitivity/specificity) are reproducible, favorable and provide information to physicians.

Women who have MRIs are more likely to get mastectomies, instead of lumpectomies + chemo + radiation.

MRIs pick up the tumors earlier, where cancer is curable, and mastectomies allow the woman the comfort of that fact.

09-08-2008, 11:44 AM	#2
gdpawel Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,080	MRIs for Breast Cancer This study sounds like another "Oncologists' Guaranteed Employment Act Of 2008." Getting an MRI delays the start of chemo by three weeks. Got to give that chemo sooner rather than later. There's no evidence that MRIs improve a woman's odds of survival. MRIs were not approved because they saved lives in a controlled clinical trial that compared the outcome of patients who received care with or without the benefit of an MRI. They were approved because their performance characteristics (sensitivity/specificity) are reproducible, favorable and provide information to physicians. Women who have MRIs are more likely to get mastectomies, instead of lumpectomies + chemo + radiation. MRIs pick up the tumors earlier, where cancer is curable, and mastectomies allow the woman the comfort of that fact.