Molecular Imaging Is Changing the Course of Breast Cancer Treatment

Clinicians are reporting that the information they have gained from molecular imaging technologies has resulted in decisions to change the course of treatment in 24% to 48% of breast cancer cases.

SNM (formerly called the Society of Nuclear Medicine; Reston, VA, USA) recently released a new fact sheet highlighting recent developments in molecular imaging technologies that are dramatically improving the ways in which breast cancer is diagnosed and treated.

Breast cancer is just one of many types of cancer for which new and emerging molecular imaging techniques and therapies can significantly improve detection, diagnosis and treatment. "As a field, molecular imaging is evolving very rapidly,” said SNM president Robert W. Atcher, Ph.D., M.B.A. "Each new discovery--whether through improved cancer diagnosis and treatment, increased understanding of the fundamental causes of Alzheimer's disease or strides in how we treat cardiovascular disease--brings personalized medicine one step closer to reality. Molecular imaging techniques and therapies allow us to understand what is happening at a cellular level. Physicians can actually see the precise location of disease, determine if other organs are being affected, and then target treatment. It is about delivering the right treatment to the right patient at the right time.”

According to investigators from the SNM, molecular imaging has the power to diagnose cancer early on--at its most curable stage; create a portrait of what cells are doing and how they function over time; eliminate the need for unnecessary exploratory surgery or multiple surgeries; provide a painless and cost-effective alternative to more expensive (and less accurate) diagnostic tests; confirm and treat suspected recurrent cancers; monitor an individual's response to treatment and make adjustments as necessary; and equip physicians and individuals with information to make informed decisions about the best course of action.

"Molecular imaging has the ability to detect abnormalities very early in the progression of disease, or even before symptoms occur--potentially saving countless lives,” added Dr. Atcher. "Working together with patients and their caregivers, we can truly imagine the future.”

SNM is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to raising public awareness about what molecular imaging is and how it can help provide patients with the best healthcare possible. SNM members specialize in molecular imaging, a vital element of current medical practice that adds an additional dimension to diagnosis, changing the way common and devastating diseases are understood and treated.

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