Studies show “Targeted Ultrasound” is an accurate way to diagnose breast cancer in women under 40

With the changing guidelines on the frequency of mammograms recommended for women under 50, the news about targeted breast ultrasound is drawing a lot of interest from the medical community. IN November, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force revised its recommendation about mammography, saying that women under 50 only need testing every other year. This news drew ire from women’s health advocates and young breast cancer survivors whose lives were saved through early detection.

Until now, it was unclear whether the use of targeted breast ultrasound would be a clinically approved method of diagnosing cancerous tumors in young women, but two new US studies confirm this method as the “tool of choice” for use in women under the age of 40. Ultimately, this new test is expected to reduce the need for invasive biopsies in younger women. It is also less expensive and far safer than surgical excision or needle biopsy, which can be quite painful.

One of the two studies, led by the University of Washington between January 2002 and August 2006, involved 1,123 ultrasound examinations with women under 30 and the other one included 1,577 women between the ages of 30 and 39. The first study compared testing by using ultrasound machines to mammograms and the second compared it to biopsy.

Not only have these studies proven that ultrasound testing is an accurate way to diagnose cancerous tumors in younger women, it is also a positive sign for the advancement of ultrasound technology in general. According to Dr. Constance Lehman, who led the studies, it is time we started using ultrasound machines to reduce unnecessary dangers and costs associated with more invasive approaches.