Starting Thursday, women across the United States can assess their future breast cancer risk using an A. I. tool. Everlywell will offer nationwide access to Clairity Breast, an FDA-approved A.
I. software that analyzes a recent mammogram to predict a woman's five-year risk. Previously limited to select locations in Massachusetts and Colorado, the test costs $249 and is not insurance-covered. The software detects subtle imaging patterns correlated with future cancer development, even in mammograms appearing normal to the human eye.
Doctors can consider the resulting probability score alongside family history and other clinical factors to aid earlier detection. Dr. Eleonora Teplinsky of Valley Health System noted the technology could be practice-changing, especially as younger women are increasingly diagnosed before age 40. Most breast cancers occur in women with no family history. Dr. Connie Lehman, founder and CEO of Clairity, stated the goal is to identify women at risk for sporadic breast cancers and prevent them from falling through the cracks. However, experts warn the technology could lead to unnecessary alarm or medical interventions for those who will not develop cancer.
The report classifies patients as at average, intermediate, or high risk. Individuals with a score below 1.7 percent are considered average risk, while those between 1.7 and 3 percent are at intermediate elevated risk, and scores of 3 percent or more indicate high risk. Women undergoing cancer treatment or with genetic mutations putting them at high risk are not eligible.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing