Evaluating the use of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography as a breast cancer screening option for women with dense breast tissue
Description: Impact: About 40 percent of women over the age of 40 have dense breasts. The condition, characterized by relatively high amounts of glandular and fibrous connective tissue and low amounts of fatty breast tissue, can make reading and detecting breast cancer on a mammogram difficult. Current guidelines recommend supplemental screening with whole breast ultrasound, however, this can result in false positives, as does screening with MRI. The Contrast-Enhanced Mammography Imaging Screening Trial (CMIST), conducted by the American College of Radiology, is an effort to improve early breast cancer detection while reducing false positive results in women with dense breasts. Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) is a promising new tool for breast cancer screening that is not limited by breast density. Early studies have shown that CESM improves the number of cancers detected by 70-80 percent compared to a conventional mammogram in women with dense breasts. CMIST is a collaborative effort with BCRF and GE Healthcare to support this groundbreaking trial led by Dr. Comstock.
Progress Thus Far: The CMIST trial compares the performance of CESM to standard mammography in detecting breast cancer in women with dense breasts. Nine sites across the U.S. and Canada are currently enrolling patients, with additional sites planned for activation over the coming year. The CMIST trial has the potential to change the way women with dense breasts are screened for breast cancer, replacing standard mammography with a single and effective test.
What’s next: Five additional sites are planned to join the trial in the coming year, expanding its reach across North America. If CESM proves more effective than standard mammography at detecting cancer in women with dense breasts, this trial could fundamentally change how millions of women are screened, offering a more accurate alternative for those currently underserved by conventional mammography.
Learn more about the study here .
Funding type: research
Start date: 2019-01-01
Investigator: Christopher E. Comstock
Institution: Weill Cornell Medical College
Funded outputs count: 0
Funder award ID: BCRF-INV-christopher-e-comstock
OpenAlex ID: G9000565281