Breakthrough in Breast Cancer Detection

Researchers from the Flinders University and Medical Centre have made a breakthrough in the detection of a rare form of breast cancer.

They have developed a computer algorithm which can detect the rare, invasive lobular carcinoma cancers which are sometimes undetected by the conventional methods of viewing scans.

Lecturer Murk Bottema says it will be several years before radiologists will be using the diagnostic technology.

“We had some images that had cancers which the radiologist couldn’t find any evidence of cancer and we found cancers in half of those,” Dr Bottema said.

This method will be tested in a larger study, which will include investigating its effectiveness in detecting other forms of breast cancer to see if it can result in the detection of cancers before they develop into a visible lump.

“If the algorithm is as successful in a larger study as it has been in a preliminary study then we might be able to detect up to 2% of breast cancers which are currently not detectable,” Dr Bottema said.

(Source: ABC Online)