Publications by authors named "Dana Dowd"

The American Cancer Society (ACS) guidelines define the appropriate use of MRI as an adjunct to mammography for breast cancer screening. Three risk assessment models are recommended to determine if women are at sufficient risk to warrant the use of this expensive screening tool, however, the real-world application of these models has not been explored. We sought to understand how these models behave in a community setting for women undergoing mammography screening.

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Family history of cancer is critical for identifying and managing patients at risk for cancer. However, the quality of family history data is dependent on the accuracy of patient self reporting. Therefore, the validity of family history reporting is crucial to the quality of clinical care.

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Article Synopsis
  • Despite improvements in genetic testing, identifying women at hereditary risk for cancer remains a challenge in healthcare.
  • HughesRiskApps was created to enhance family history collection and risk assessment in primary care, breast centers, and cancer risk clinics.
  • In its first year at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, the program analyzed nearly 33,000 individuals, leading to a 3.6% referral rate for genetic risk assessment, demonstrating increased efficiency and effectiveness in patient care.
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