Reuters (12/12, Seaman) reports that research suggests “breast cancer survivors with good social support networks seem to live longer and to have a lower risk of their cancer returning.” The findings were published in Cancer. Investigators found that “women with few social connections had a 43 percent higher risk of breast cancer returning, compared to well-connected women.” Meanwhile, “isolated women were 64 percent more likely to die from breast cancer and 69 percent more likely to die of any cause during the course of the study, compared to their counterparts with many social ties.”

HealthImaging (12/2, Sipek) reported that at this year’s RSNA 2016 conference, in an effort to “empower female radiologists,” experts presented a session called “Women in Leadership.” During the session, a “panel of four female radiologists...spoke on a variety of topics ranging from why women don’t ask for leadership roles to how to attain a leadership position within your organization.” Currently, women account for only 27% of radiologists, and just 16% of “academic radiology chairs.” 

Reuters (10/28, Crist) reports that research indicates “women are becoming more aware of the term ‘breast density,’ but they aren’t as familiar with its relation to breast cancer risk or mammograms.” The study found that “African American and Ashkenazi Jewish women, who may be at a higher risk for breast cancer, seemed to be less knowledgeable about breast density.” The findings were published online in the Journal of the American College of Radiology. 

Aunt Minnie (10/26) reports, “New York City Public Advocate Letitia James has called on New York City and the state of New York to expand access to digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT).” Earlier this week “in a...press conference, James requested that NYC Health + Hospitals invest in DBT technology and for the state to add DBT to its Medicaid benefits package.” James “noted that while DBT technology is widely available in private hospitals in New York City, it’s only available at one hospital in the NYC Health + Hospitals network.” 

DOT Med News (10/26, Mitchell) reports that a “study of a 2014 law that requires insurance companies to pay for supplemental ultrasound and/or MR screening if a woman has dense breasts diagnosed reveals that it has resulted in better patient care and outcomes.” Dr. Linda Sanders, lead author of the study, told HCB News, “The number of supplemental screening ultrasound and MR examinations increased after [The New Jersey Breast Density Law (NJBDL)] implementation.” The “‘review affirmed the high efficacy of screening MR compared with other modalities,’ she said, which the team credits to MR’s unique ability to detect lesions in soft tissue.” The findings were published in the Journal of the American College of Radiology.