Predicting the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Can the addition of tomosynthesis improve the accuracy of contrast-enhanced spectral mammography? A comparison with breast MRI.

Objectives: Image monitoring is essential to monitor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). Whilst breast MRI is the gold-standard technique, evidence suggests contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) is comparable. We investigate whether the addition of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) to CESM increases the accuracy of response prediction.

A good use of time? Providing evidence for how effort is invested in primary and secondary outcome data collection in trials.

Background: Data collection is a substantial part of trial workload for participants and staff alike. How these hours of work are spent is important because stakeholders are more interested in some outcomes than others. The ORINOCO study compared the time spent collecting primary outcome data to the time spent collecting secondary outcome data in a cohort of trials.

Opting into breast screening over the age of 70 years: seeking evidence to support informed choice.

Aim: To provide evidence specific to the Scottish population regarding the risk-benefit balance of women >70 years opting into continued breast screening, which may be used as a basis for patient information documentation.

Materials And Methods: The present study consisted of a parallel, retrospective data analysis of breast cancer mortality data for breast cancer cases diagnosed between 2009 and 2013 (n=22,013) followed up to 31/12/18, and breast screening programme data from 2010 and 2015 (n=47,235). Screening outcome measures included recall for assessment, oncome of assessment, and tumour features.

Contrast-enhanced digital breast tomosythesis and breast MRI to monitor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy: patient tolerance and preference.

Objective: Contrast-enhanced digital breast tomosynthesis (CE-DBT) is a novel imaging technique, combining contrast-enhanced spectral mammography and tomosynthesis. This may offer an alternative imaging technique to breast MRI for monitoring of response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This paper addresses patient experience and preference regarding the two techniques.

Digital breast tomosynthesis: sensitivity for cancer in younger symptomatic women.

Objective: Full-field digital mammography (FFDM) has limited sensitivity for cancer in younger women with denser breasts. Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) can reduce the risk of cancer being obscured by overlying tissue. The primary study aim was to compare the sensitivity of FFDM, DBT and FFDM-plus-DBT in women under 60 years old with clinical suspicion of breast cancer.