October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and new technology is helping area doctors detect breast cancer faster and more accurately. KMBC 9 learned how it works and spoke with local survivors to share her message about the importance of early detection. Tiny tumors are hard to see with the naked eye, but new technology is helping doctors spot breast cancer earlier than ever before. “Sometimes the cancer is really obvious, but a lot of times it can be a very subtle change,” says Dr. Ruby Meierotto, a breast radiologist at St Luke’s Cancer Institute. An artificial intelligence program called Profound AI uses algorithms to identify potential cancers in mammograms. Meierotto and her team are using this new weapon to fight breast cancer. “Studies have shown that radiologists who use Profound AI for interpretation find more cancers, reduce false positives … and can then interpret mammograms in less time,” she said. Early detection through annual mammograms is key, Meierotto said. “The question is, will you know when it’s a tiny, treatable, stage zero, stage 1 cancer? You’re going to wait until it progresses and metastasizes, you know, and the survival rate is less than 20 percent?” she asked. Meghan Geivett vividly demonstrates that early detection can save lives. She was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer at the age of 40 after her first routine mammogram. She is now in remission after chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. She said being diagnosed with breast cancer was the last thing she expected. “I don’t have a lump. I don’t have any pain. When I get a mammogram, nothing makes me think I’ll have breast cancer,” she said. However, doctors found four cancerous tumors. Geivett also had no family history of breast cancer. Doctors say three-quarters of breast cancer patients have no family history, but some still use that as an excuse to delay testing. Givett shared her story as a warning to others. “You can be young, you can be healthy, you can look great on the outside, but you don’t know what’s inside your body,” she said. “All you can do is get tested.” For more information or to schedule a mammogram online, click here.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and new technology is helping area doctors detect breast cancer faster and more accurately.
KMBC 9 discovered how it works and spoke with a local survivor to share her information on the importance of early detection.
Tiny tumors are hard to see with the naked eye, but new technology is helping doctors spot breast cancer earlier than ever before.
“Sometimes the cancer is really obvious, but a lot of times it can be a very subtle change,” says Dr. Ruby Meierotto, a breast radiologist at St Luke’s Cancer Institute.
An artificial intelligence program called Profound AI uses algorithms to identify potential cancers in mammograms.
Meierotto and her team are using this new weapon to fight breast cancer.
“Studies have shown that radiologists who use Profound AI for interpretation find more cancers, reduce false positives … and can then interpret mammograms in less time,” she said.
Early detection with annual mammograms is key, Meierotto said.
“The question is, will you know when it’s a tiny, treatable, stage zero, stage 1 cancer? You’re going to wait until it progresses and metastasizes, you know, and the survival rate is less than 20 percent?” she asked.
Meghan Geivett vividly demonstrates that early detection can save lives. She was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer at the age of 40 after her first routine mammogram. She is now in remission after chemotherapy and a double mastectomy.
She said being diagnosed with breast cancer was the last thing she expected.
“I don’t have a lump. I don’t have any pain. When I get a mammogram, nothing makes me think I’ll have breast cancer,” she said.
However, doctors found four cancerous tumors. Geivett also had no family history of breast cancer. Three-quarters of breast cancer patients have no family history, doctors say, but some still use that as an excuse to delay testing.
“In Meghan’s case, if she waited, she probably wouldn’t be here telling her story today,” Meyerotto said.
Geivett is sharing her story as a warning to others.
“You can be young, you can be healthy, you can look great on the outside, but you don’t know what’s inside your body,” she said. “All you can do is get tested.”
For more information or to schedule a mammogram online, click here.