Recently, researchers evaluated the benefit of adding a mammogram to MRI for breast cancer screening among ~2000 women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. Results indicated that the addition of mammography to MRI did not substantially raise the chance of detecting breast cancer in the overall group. However, one-third of breast cancer cases diagnosed among women age 40 and below with a BRCA2 mutation were detected by mammograms alone. Consequently, this study suggests a limited benefit from mammography over and above MRI among BRCA1 carriers, but a potential benefit among BRCA2 carriers, particularly those at or below age 40. This type of information may eventually help tailor screening approaches among BRCA carriers.
Phi et al. Br J Cancer. 2016 Mar 15;114(6):631-7. PMID: 26908327.