Digital Breast Tomosynthesis and Detection of Interval Invasive and Advanced Breast Cancers

An interval breast cancer is defined as a breast cancer that arises in a patient after negative results on a screening examination and before the next scheduled screening. Typically, an interval cancer is identified when the patient presents with signs or symptoms: a new palpable abnormality, breast discharge, or other change in the breast that would prompt the patient to seek medical care. In essence, interval cancers are a result of screening failures. Therefore, reduction of this subset of cancers is a desired goal of screening.