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I can't say I am an expert, but I "sit" on a Congressionally Directed Medical Research Panel. Last year, I attended the panel and sat with 15 scientists and reviewed applications for federal funds from nationally recognized research centers and teaching hospitals (Loma Linda, UPenn, Boston, MD Anderson to name a few) We reviewed 68 applications from the technology side of breast cancer and EVERY ONE of the applications began their narrative with words similar to the following:
"Because mammograms are obsolete, we are investigating a new method
to detect tumors via ...blah, blah, blah."
The scientists that sat in the room were mostly Ph D's in physics that either teach or perform research at nationally recognized cancer institutions... and these are THE people that invent and improve the technology out there for cancer detection.
Anyway, the bottom line is that mammograms have been the work-horse for breast cancer detection because for the longest time, there was nothing else. Also, mammos provide an inexpensive, portable capability that can be used in underserved areas (rural) as well as third world settings. The idea that the mammo is better than nothing has been used enough !
In the end, the panel approved funding for about 15 of the 68 applicants. Of the 15, only 2 ranked high enough to be innovative technology that will dramatically improve the detection of breast cancer. One of those had an MRI- soundwave, lightwave component that attached to a mammo machine and cost less than $300,000. Therefore allowing all the current centers using mammos to incorporate the new technology to their existing machines...
I do believe that MRI's are without a doubt a very important part of breast cancer detection- and yes, the cost is so high that many oncs don't prescribe it or own one. So, in the meantime, we have to be more informed than ever and do what most of us already have- get the information, become our own advocates and support sites like this one.
Maria (MTS)
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