Opting for yearly mammograms instead of five-month interval tests can save more money
Patients who buy Tamoxifen may reduce the progression of breast cancer, a disease that affects millions of women in the U.S.
Patients who buy Tamoxifen may reduce the progression of breast cancer, a disease that affects millions of women in the U.S. Individuals who have this illness need an annual mammogram as a follow-up after undergoing therapy, according to research presented at the Cancer Imaging and Radiation Therapy Symposium.
Scientists set out to determine the efficacy and clinical relevance of an interval mammogram (IM), in which the screening method is administered five months after the patient undergoes therapy. The team recruited 467 women with breast cancer, some of whom received an IM. After receiving this test, the participants returned to their normal schedule of having one mammogram a year.
Out of the 88 patients who had undergone an IM, no recurring or new breast cancers were detected. The researchers suggested that clinicians reconsider recommending this test, as opting for the once-yearly mammogram could be more cost-effective without affecting outcomes.
"[This] will ultimately save the medical community and the patients money, in addition to decreasing patient stress and minimizing unnecessary biopsies," said senior author Scott Herbert.
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