Siemens Healthineers Brings Experts Together at Spanish Breast Congress to Highlight Role of Personalized Medicine in Breast Cancer Detection
Siemens Healthineers has recently convened experts at the 6th Spanish Breast Congress (6CEMA) to discuss the potential of personalized medicine in the fight against breast cancer. One of the main focuses of the discussion was the role of new techniques and technologies, such as artificial intelligence, in improving accuracy in breast cancer screening.
Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of having a record of breast density, as dense breast tissue increases the risk of breast cancer and can make it more difficult to detect certain lesions on mammograms. It is estimated that around 40 percent of women participating in breast cancer screening have dense breasts, with the percentages increasing with age.
According to Miguel Chiva de Agustín, head of the Breast Radiology section at the Ramón y Cajal hospital, having automated systems to measure and quantify breast density is crucial. “Radiologists, although we are experts in mammography, are not capable of having a unified criterion and there is a lot of variability. More objective and reliable quantitative automatic methods are needed,” he said.
Marina Pollán Santamaría, scientific director of CIBERESP, stressed the importance of identifying women at higher risk of developing breast cancer due to a variety of factors, including age, personal and family history, breast density, genetic mutations, and habits and risk factors.
One key technology highlighted at the congress was tomosynthesis, which is considered to be essential for the detection of breast cancer, especially in patients with dense breasts, risk of cancer, or palpable pathologies. Siemens presented its new Mammomat B.brilliant mammography system, which features tomosynthesis technology that creates a 3D image with high depth resolution in a short amount of time. The system also includes a ComfortMove function to facilitate quick and easy scan preparation.
The experts at the congress highlighted the potential of personalized medicine and new technologies in improving early detection and ultimately getting ahead of breast cancer.