Breast MRI Screening Is Cost-Effective For Women With Certain Genetic Mutations, According to New Study
| "Our analysis shows that breast MRI screening is likely to be cost-effective in selected ages of women who carry genetic mutations that place them at high risk for developing breast cancer."
—S.K. Plevritis, et al. "Cost-effectiveness of Screening BRCA 1/2 Mutation Carriers With Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging," the Journal of the American Medical Association. May 24/31, 2006. 29. 20: 2374 - 2384. |
Women with rare, inherited genetic mutations-BRCA 1 and BRCA 2-have a 45 - 65 percent lifetime risk of developing breast cancer. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) screening detects breast cancer earlier than mammography in some of these high-risk women, but currently MRI screening is more expensive than mammography.
This study1 evaluated the cost-effectiveness of adding an MRI screening - in addition to mammography - for women who carried BRCA 1 and 2, integrating known health costs and benefits, and extrapolating long-term effects through computer simulation. "Health benefits" are measured in terms of life years and quality-adjusted life years (QALY).
The researchers found that breast MRI screening is cost-effective for women aged 35 to 54 who have the BRCA 1 mutation and for women in the same age group with the BRCA 2 mutation for whom mammography is not sensitive enough to detect tumors.
- Plevritis, SK et al. "Cost-effectiveness of Screening BRCA 1/2 Mutation Carriers With Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging," Journal of the American Medical Association. May 24/31, 2006. 29. 20: 2374 - 2384.
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