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.
NATIONAL SECURITY: Authorities are working to confirm the identities of the military personnel involved and investigating possible illegal conduct and regulatory violations Authorities are probing possible national security implications after Kinmen police and immigration officers on Sunday found a Chinese woman allegedly posing as a tourist while engaging in prostitution involving more than 10 military personnel. The woman, surnamed Chen (陳), has since been deported, authorities said, adding that investigators are still working to confirm the identities of those implicated, as the records only listed code names and aliases. The case stemmed from a report received by the Kinmen District Prosecutors’ Office on Friday last week from the Jinhu Precinct of the Kinmen County Police Bureau. On Sunday, police, along with the National Immigration
GLOBALGIVING: ‘ Caving to external pressure is not acceptable for an organization that has cultivated justice reform and human rights for 30 years,’ one NGO said A slew of non-government organizations (NGOs) have withdrawn from the GlobalGiving fundraising platform after it announced it would use “Chinese Taipei” instead of “Taiwan” from next month. The Taiwan Good Rice Association wrote on Facebook on Friday that it was informed on April 28 via a teleconference call of the change, which was made because the platform wanted to operate in China. Taiwan Good Rice is to terminate all cooperative relationships with GlobalGiving in response to the platform’s “unilateral and non-negotiable” decision to remove references to Taiwan, the NGO said. “Taiwan is in the official name of Taiwan Good Rice Association and the
HEAVY WEATHER: Typhoon Jangmi is due to crash straight into the Ryukyus as airlines look to shift flights to larger aircraft or cancel flights to Okinawa entirely Taiwan’s international air carriers announced flight adjustments over the weekend as Typhoon Jangmi is forecast to hit the Ryukyu Islands today and tomorrow. The Central Weather Administration (CWA) upgraded Jangmi from a tropical storm to a typhoon at 8am yesterday, with the eye located 580km south of Naha city. It was moving north at 19kph. Today, China Airlines’ CI-120, CI-121, CI-122 and CI-123 flights between Taoyuan and Naha, Okinawa, have been canceled as well as CI-132 and CI-133 between Kaohsiung and Naha. EVA Air’s BR-112, BR-113, BR-186 and BR-185 flights between Taoyuan and Naha are also canceled. Low-cost carrier Tigerair Taiwan canceled IT-230,
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) yesterday briefed her party’s Central Standing Committee regarding her scheduled visit to the US between Monday next week and June 16, saying that her purpose would be to persuade the US that the Republic of China (ROC) Constitution was a “one China” constitution that would foster stable and peaceful cross-strait relations. The ROC Constitution is the most important defense for all Taiwanese citizens, as it upholds our democracy and has contributed to our robust economy, which aligns with international and US interests, she said. “We would not be troublemakers and drag the US under,”
RSS