October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, an estimated 287,500 new cases of invasive breast cancer and 51,400 new cases of noninvasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2022, accounting for 30% of new cancer diagnoses in US women. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in US women, after skin cancers, and approximately 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. An estimated 43,550 women in the United States will die from breast cancer this year.
Because breast cancer is easier to treat when it’s caught early, breast cancer screening is extremely important. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has depressed screening rates, and hospitals and imaging centers are still catching up. Additionally, there are many underserved areas in the United States where breast screening is not readily available. This month’s cover feature, by Claudia Stahl, highlights some efforts to expand access and get more women screened using mobile mammography units. In places where access to mammography is limited, these vans provide screening to women who may not otherwise have the opportunity to be screened. As Stahl writes in the article, mobile mammography units not only provide access but also help build bridges to underserved communities.
In other news, Beth W. Orenstein provides an update on theranostic approaches to prostate cancer treatment. Prostate cancer, which kills an estimated 34,500 men each year in the United States, is the second leading cause of cancer death among US males. Theranostics not only show clinicians where cancer is but also deliver cancer-killing radiation to tumors. This is especially important in cases of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, which can continue to grow and spread after hormone therapy. Patients with mCRPC have a median life expectancy of five years. Although still in the early stages, many experts believe theranostics will significantly improve prostate cancer treatment.
Orenstein also takes a look at imaging for professional football. Most teams have in-stadium X-ray machines, and many have ultrasound machines, but Paycor Stadium, home of the Cincinnati Bengals, has an in-stadium MRI machine. Although it’s unlikely that MRI results will allow an injured player to return to a game, having an MRI on site has some advantages. Fans benefit as well because some orthopedic patients have the option of getting their MRIs done at the stadium. For more details, turn to page 20.
Last but not least, we have an article from Aine Cryts about the use of AI to assist lung cancer screening. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, killing more people in the country than breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined. AI may offer some help in evaluating smaller nodules before they grow and become more difficult to treat.
Enjoy the issue.