In a sample group of more than 64,000 elderly women who had mammograms from 1995 to 2009, those who self-selected for annual mammography had lower 10-year breast cancer mortality than those who opted for biennial, irregular or no exams.

There’s not a lot of difference between automated and clinical assessments of dense breasts when it comes to estimating a given woman’s risk of getting breast cancer. However, breast density classification may vary substantially between the assessment methods—a finding that could impact decisionmaking around supplemental imaging.

Work is underway around the world to better localize and visualize cancer cells using fluorescence. Now, researchers at Duke Medicine report they have tested the first fluorescent imaging agent activated by a protease enzyme and proven safe in humans.

The American Cancer Society is out with its annual rundown of cancer statistics, and overall the news is encouraging.

A proposed clinical trial exploring the ability of 4D CT to identify healthy lung tissue that can be spared during cancer radiotherapy has received NIH funding.  

The debate over CT radiation dose communications—does discussing the matter with patients lead them to make informed decisions or scare them away from tests they may need?—is just one part of a broader discussion on dose getting a wide national airing in the mainstream press.

Public interest in cancer screening soars and dips on the changing air of all sorts of variables, from press coverage of clinical trials to releases of new guidelines to the words and actions of popular entertainers and other public figures.

Five score and 20 years ago this week—or six score flat, if you prefer—the word went out from William Roentgen’s lab to the world. The publicity came courtesy of an Austrian newspaper.