The Institute of Nuclear Energy Research yesterday unveiled a new technique using positron emission tomography (PET) for more precise and comfortable scanning for breast cancer.
The institute said the first locally developed PET instrument solely dedicated to breast cancer screening possessed the advantages of accuracy, comfort and lower cost compared with current screening tools.
The device can be used to screen for preliminary breast cancer as well as to track following treatment for breast cancer.
Photo: Tang Chia-ling, Taipei Times
Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of death globally and the leading cause of death among Taiwanese women. The incidence of breast cancer in Taiwan is the second-highest in Asia, said Jan Meei-ling (詹美齡), a researcher at the institute.
CURRENT PROCESSES
Mammography is the currently recognized procedure for screening breast cancer in Taiwan, using low-energy X-rays to examine the breasts, said Tzen Kai-Yuan (曾凱元), director at National Taiwan University Hospital’s Department of Nuclear Medicine. If suspected masses are found, a cell or tissue sample is then taken for a biopsy, he said.
However, Asian women tend to have less fat in their breasts and higher breast density, making it more difficult to effectively screen breast cancer through mammography, which often leads to erroneous diagnoses, Jan said, adding that several women complained about the pain caused by mammography screening and feared having a biopsy.
SAFETY, AFFORDABILITY
Although the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique or a conventional whole-body PET are sometimes used for improving diagnoses for breast cancer during second-phase screening, the cost of an MRI and the radiation dosage of traditional PETs are still relatively high compared with the newly developed breast PET, Jan said. Both tools also have lower accuracy, she said.
The institute said the new PET screening instrument would cost only one-fourth to one-sixth of an MRI and could reduce up to 70 percent of the radiation dose used in a conventional whole-body PET.
Moreover, a research study on breast PET in the US last year showed it could increase screening accuracy by 26 percent.
The institute estimated that more than 30,000 women in Taiwan would benefit from the new technology and avoid an unnecessary biopsy.
Thorough evaluations by the Department of Health and hospitals will be required before the device is employed in hospitals for regular use, Tzen said, adding that he estimated four or five years would be needed before it is adopted.
The institute said it was optimistic about the development of the new instrument, saying that all the components were made by local manufacturers and could have a positive impact on technological development.
‘NON-RED’: Taiwan and Ireland should work together to foster a values-driven, democratic economic system, leveraging their complementary industries, Lai said President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday expressed hopes for closer ties between Taiwan and Ireland, and that both countries could collaborate to create a values-driven, democracy-centered economic system. He made the remarks while meeting with an Irish cross-party parliamentary delegation visiting Taiwan. The delegation, led by John McGuinness, deputy speaker of the Irish house of representatives, known as the Dail, includes Irish lawmakers Malcolm Byrne, Barry Ward, Ken O’Flynn and Teresa Costello. McGuinness, who chairs the Ireland-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Association, is a friend of Taiwan, and under his leadership, the association’s influence has grown over the past few years, Lai said. Ireland is
FINAL COUNTDOWN: About 50,000 attended a pro-recall rally yesterday, while the KMT and the TPP plan to rally against the recall votes today Democracy activists, together with arts and education representatives, yesterday organized a motorcade, while thousands gathered on Ketagalan Boulevard in Taipei in the evening in support of tomorrow’s recall votes. Recall votes for 24 Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) lawmakers and suspended Hsinchu City mayor Ann Kao (高虹安) are to be held tomorrow, while recall votes for seven other KMT lawmakers are scheduled for Aug. 23. The afternoon motorcade was led by the Spring Breeze Culture and Arts Foundation, the Tyzen Hsiao Foundation and the Friends of Lee Teng-hui Association, and was joined by delegates from the Taiwan Statebuilding Party and the Taiwan Solidarity
A saleswoman, surnamed Chen (陳), earlier this month was handed an 18-month prison term for embezzling more than 2,000 pairs of shoes while working at a department store in Tainan. The Tainan District Court convicted Chen of embezzlement in a ruling on July 7, sentencing her to prison for illegally profiting NT$7.32 million (US$248,929) at the expense of her employer. Chen was also given the opportunity to reach a financial settlement, but she declined. Chen was responsible for the sales counter of Nike shoes at Tainan’s Shinkong Mitsukoshi Zhongshan branch, where she had been employed since October 2019. She had previously worked
An SOS message in a bottle has been found in Ireland that is believed to have come from the Taiwanese captain of fishing vessel Yong Yu Sing No. 18 (永裕興18號), who has been missing without a trace for over four years, along with nine Indonesian crew members. The vessel, registered to Suao (蘇澳), went missing near Hawaii on Dec. 30, 2020. The ship has since been recovered, but the 10 crew members have never been found. The captain, surnamed Lee (李), is believed to have signed the note with his name. A post appeared on Reddit on Tuesday after a man