Tuesday, February 11, 2025
35.4 F
Roseville

Ditch Mammography Tool says UC Davis Researcher

Sacramento, Calif. – A costly tool used on nearly all mammograms does not increase cancer detection rates and should no longer be covered by Medicare, argues Joshua Fenton, a family physician and comparative effectiveness researcher in an editorial published online today in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine.

Fenton’s editorial responds to a study published in the same issue that announces findings from the largest study ever on computer-aided detection (CAD), a tool approved by the Food and Drug Administration nearly 20 years to help radiologists interpret screening mammograms by automatically marking potentially suspicious spots for further radiological review.

The study was led by Constance D. Lehman, currently director of breast imaging and co-director of the Avon Comprehensive Breast Evaluation Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, who conducted the research while at the University of Washington in Seattle. UC Davis Dean’s Professor in Biostatistics Diana Miglioretti was senior author on the study, which found that the device used with mammography did not improve the accuracy of diagnosis, and that its use may in fact result in missed cancers.

“The study by Leyman, et al. provides evidence that CAD yields no clear benefits in a large, diverse U.S. sample of women undergoing digital mammography,” Fenton writes. “Thus we should question whether society should continue to pay for CAD use.”

Using data from the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, Leyman’s observational study looked at 323,973 women undergoing digital screening mammography in diverse U.S. practices between 2003 and 2009. Mammograms were interpreted by 271 radiologists from 66 facilities. Tumor registry data identified 3,159 breast cancers within one year of screening.

For the study, the researchers analyzed the mammography performance, including its sensitivity (the proportion of cancers positively detected), specificity (the proportion of accurate negative findings), the number of cancers detected during mammography and those discovered within 12 months of a negative mammogram finding. They found that screening performance was not improved with CAD on any one of the assessed metrics. In fact, they found that sensitivity was significantly decreased for mammograms interpreted with CAD among radiologists who interpreted results with and without the added technology.

In the editorial, Fenton, who also has published several research articles about the merits of CAD, said any potential positive effects of CAD may be undetectable in the context of digital mammography, which may improve the radiologist’s interpretation regardless of CAD.

Since Medicare agreed to cover the cost of CAD in 2000, its use has surged to over 90 percent of U.S. mammograms. Leyman estimated that its prolific use adds up to more than $400 million per year, or $1 of every $10,000 spent on healthcare.

Miglioretti, who was senior author on the Lehman study and has a joint appointment as a senior investigator at Group Health Research Institute, said the results of the CAD research suggest that federal regulators and payers should base coverage determinations on facts.

“We need to make sure there is stronger evidence for new technologies before we start paying for them,” she said, “and before people are charged extra money for them.”



Brighter Side

Trending

Job Opening: Sr. Manager, Data Management

5 yrs exp. design, modify, dvlp., write & implement software programming apps & code software. BS deg req’d.

LA-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor in Roseville

Transform your living room and bedroom with La-Z-Boy's comfortable home furniture. Shop for sofas, couches, recliners, chairs, tables, mattress in a box, and more today.

Roseville Pleasant Grove Creek Trail closure for critical repairs

Roseville, Calif. - The trail crossing over Pleasant Grove Creek is closed for critical repairs between Old Coach Drive/Phillips Park and the Orchard View Road trailhead parking lot.

RG Philips Park in Roseville

RG Philips Park "This 6.5 acre park features a children’s...

Roseville welcomes US Quadball West Coast National Qualifier to Maidu Park

Roseville, Calif. - Quadball, an action-packed sport that evolved from the Harry Potter novels, will hold its only West Coast national qualifier Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9 at Maidu Regional Park in Roseville.

Topics

Job Opening: Sr. Manager, Data Management

5 yrs exp. design, modify, dvlp., write & implement software programming apps & code software. BS deg req’d.

LA-Z-Boy Home Furnishings & Décor in Roseville

Transform your living room and bedroom with La-Z-Boy's comfortable home furniture. Shop for sofas, couches, recliners, chairs, tables, mattress in a box, and more today.

Roseville Pleasant Grove Creek Trail closure for critical repairs

Roseville, Calif. - The trail crossing over Pleasant Grove Creek is closed for critical repairs between Old Coach Drive/Phillips Park and the Orchard View Road trailhead parking lot.

RG Philips Park in Roseville

RG Philips Park "This 6.5 acre park features a children’s...

Roseville welcomes US Quadball West Coast National Qualifier to Maidu Park

Roseville, Calif. - Quadball, an action-packed sport that evolved from the Harry Potter novels, will hold its only West Coast national qualifier Saturday, Feb. 8, and Sunday, Feb. 9 at Maidu Regional Park in Roseville.

The Crepe Stop in Roseville

The Crepe Stop in Roseville. Savory & Sweet. Crepes, Pancakes, Waffles, Gelato, Boba Tea.

Roseville Today Super Bowl party picks for Eagles and Chiefs game

Roseville, Calif.- This Sunday at the Superdome in New Orleans, the Philadelphia take on the Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. A super-sized rematch and unofficial national holiday of $8 million dollar commercials, food and drink and a little football.

Quarry Oaks Apartments in Rocklin

Quarry Oaks Apartments in Rocklin, Calif.

Related Articles

Local Spotlight

Stanford Ranch Family Dentistry in Rocklin serving the local community since 2000

Rocklin, Calif.- For nearly 24 years, Jason and Heather have grown their successful Stanford Ranch Family Dentistry practice by faithfully serving patients throughout the Rocklin, Roseville, and greater South Placer County region. Their business has grown to now employ over a dozen employees which helps them meet the growing demands of a successful local business.

Making a Splash in Roseville at Steve Wallen Swim School

Roseville, Calif. - Steve Wallen Swim School in Roseville teaches swim lessons and water safety for infants, kids, and adults of all skill levels.

Paul Black’s Window Cleaning serving Roseville and South Placer County for over 30 years

Paul Black’s Window Cleaning Inc. has been serving Placer County’s commercial and residential window cleaning needs since 1990.