New Delhi: A significant number of breast cancers—estimated between 10 and 20 per cent—escape detection through routine mammography, particularly in women with dense breast tissue. These cancers often progress quietly, without noticeable lumps or early symptoms, making timely diagnosis difficult. The concern is even greater in India, where breast cancer is increasingly being detected in younger women and tends to present more aggressively than in Western populations.
To bridge this diagnostic shortfall, Apollo Athenaa Women’s Cancer Centre has introduced MRI-Guided Vacuum-Assisted Breast Biopsy (MRI-Guided VABB), a highly precise and minimally invasive diagnostic procedure designed to identify breast cancer at its earliest and most treatable stages.
This advanced technique allows clinicians to accurately detect and confirm malignancies as early as Stage 0 or Stage 1, long before symptoms emerge. By enabling tissue sampling from lesions visible only on MRI, MRI-Guided VABB significantly improves diagnostic confidence in patients with dense breasts or elevated risk factors.
Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group, said, “The launch of MRI-Guided VABB represents a transformative leap in early diagnosis. It strengthens the entire breast diagnostic pathway with greater precision, speed and clinical confidence, enabling timely and minimally invasive intervention. Most importantly, it reflects our commitment to giving every woman the best possible chance at excellent outcomes, reassurance and dignity.”
In addition to introducing MRI-guided biopsy, the centre has deployed high-resolution MRI systems integrated with AI-enabled imaging protocols. These innovations have reduced breast MRI scan duration from nearly 50 minutes to less than 15 minutes, without compromising image clarity or diagnostic accuracy. As a result, more women—especially those with dense breast tissue—can now access MRI screening, which remains the most sensitive tool for detecting subtle breast abnormalities.
The need for such advanced screening is highlighted by Indian clinical data. A large-scale study involving 2,470 breast cancer patients revealed that 14.3 per cent were under the age of 40. Among these younger patients, nearly 70 per cent were diagnosed at advanced stages (Stage III or IV), while 45.7 per cent were found to have Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)—a particularly aggressive form of the disease.
Dr. Jyoti Arora, Senior Consultant and Lead, Department of Breast Radiology, Apollo Athenaa Women’s Cancer Centre, emphasised the importance of early detection, stating, “Early detection saves lives.”
She added, “Young women often have dense breasts, making routine screening less effective. These cancers also tend to be biologically aggressive. What worsens outcomes is delayed diagnosis. MRI-Guided VABB allows us to detect and confirm breast cancer—often at Stage 0—before it becomes life-altering.”
According to data from ICMR–NCDIR, breast cancer accounts for 27–28 per cent of all cancers among Indian women, making it the most common malignancy in this population. Projections indicate a 170.5 per cent increase in new breast cancer cases and a 200.5 per cent rise in mortality by 2050, with a concerning shift toward younger age groups. While mammography remains an essential screening tool, its effectiveness is limited in women with dense breast tissue, underscoring the need for supplemental diagnostic technologies.
The real-world impact of MRI-Guided VABB is already being observed. In one recent case, a 70-year-old woman presented with bloody nipple discharge, an early warning sign of breast cancer. Although both mammography and ultrasound results were normal, further evaluation using MRI-Guided VABB uncovered Stage 0 ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)—a cancer that was invisible on conventional imaging. Early surgical treatment led to an excellent clinical outcome.
Reflecting on the case, Dr. Arora said, “This is what true early detection looks like. Without MRI-Guided VABB, this cancer could have progressed silently. With it, we were able to intervene before it changed her life.”
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