Pre-operative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in Young Breast Cancer Patients

Overview

Young women with breast cancer have an increased breast tissue density and conventional imaging tests such as mammography and breast ultrasound are less sensitive and specific for detecting breast cancer than in older breast cancer patients. Breast MRI is an emerging tool that has been proven to improve the ability to identify breast cancers by determining the extent of disease and also detect multifocal, multicentric and bilateral breast cancers. To date, the role of pre-operative breast MRI is not clearly defined. The investigators are proposing a study to evaluate the impact of preoperative breast MRI on surgical decision-making in breast cancer patients \<= 50 years. This may lead to improved characterization of breast cancers in these younger patients that may ultimately result in lower local recurrence rates in the future. The additional information attained through the breast MRI may also guide the use of radiation, chemotherapy and/or hormonal therapy in these patients.

Inclusion Criteria: * female aged ≤ 50 * histologically proven invasive breast cancer Exclusion Criteria: * Is not considered a surgical candidate * Has had prior breast cancer surgery or an excisional biopsy of the newly diagnosed lesion * Has a contraindication to undergoing breast MRI * Has inflammatory breast cancer according to the standard clinical definition * Has locally advanced breast cancer according to the standard clinical definition * Patient is pregnant * Has a psychiatric or addictive disorder that would preclude obtaining informed consent or adherence to the protocol

Conditions