A study participant who had her breast cancer detected early thanks to research at Southmead Hospital, Bristol, has told her story as part of BBC Bristol’s Wake Up Call.
Clare Down from Kingswood had a special fast MRI scan after signing up to the FAST MRI DYAMOND study following her first routine mammogram. Clare said:
“I saw a poster and thought, 'that looks interesting'. I was curious about what an MRI would be like.”
Clare found the scan quick at a rapid three to five minutes compared to 20-30 minutes for a standard breast MRI. As she was lying on her front, she also found it easier than a normal MRI.
The study aims to find out whether these shorter MRI scans will pick up smaller aggressive tumours that can't always be seen by mammograms in women with average breast density. It is led by Dr Lyn Jones, Consultant Radiologist at North Bristol NHS Trust, and funded by a Medical Research Council (MRC) and National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) partnership.
A similar approach has already been tested in women with denser breast tissue. Dense breast tissue shows up on mammograms as solid white, which makes it more difficult to spot cancers.
The study team are recruiting women aged 50-52 in Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Cornwall and south London, who have had their first mammogram. If their mammogram shows they have average breast density and they have not needed a follow up assessment, then they are invited to have a fast MRI scan.
Clare’s fast MRI showed a small lump which hadn’t been identified during her mammogram, which a biopsy showed was cancer. She went on to have surgery and radiotherapy and is now clear of cancer.
She said:
“I'm incredibly grateful because if it had been another three years until my next mammogram and if I hadn’t noticed any changes in my breast myself, I don't know how advanced the cancer would have been by that point.”
Dr Becky Geach, Consultant Radiologist at the Bristol Breast Care Centre and co-lead of the study, said:
“This is the first UK trial that's looking at women with average breast density. Despite the UK’s highly successful routine breast screening programme, women can still be diagnosed with breast cancer between their mammograms.
“Earlier detection means we can offer more effective, possibly less invasive treatments, ultimately saving more lives.”
Becky also emphasised the importance of women attending their mammograms when invited:
“If you receive an invitation, please do attend, but a certain proportion of those women may be offered this additional screening test.”
The pair appeared on BBC Radio Bristol and Points West on Thursday 28 May, where Clare told her personal story and Becky talked about the study and the importance of breast cancer screening.
The study was made possible when Bristol breast cancer charity BUST provided funding to buy an extra Siemens 3T MRI scanner located at Cossham Hospital. This has increased MRI scanning capacity for patients across Bristol.
FAST MRI stands for First Post-contrast Subtracted Magnetic Resonance Imaging. DYAMOND stands for Diagnostic Yield Study for Average Mammographic Screening Density.
The DYAMOND study is part of a larger FAST MRI research programme, led by Dr Jones, looking to find breast cancers sooner. Find out more about the FAST MRI programme and the DYAMOND study on the North Bristol NHS Trust website.