New Frontiers in Breast Cancer Imaging

In breast cancer, metabolic imaging can increasingly guide neoadjuvant planning by tracking early treatment response; these metabolic insights are being used alongside pathology and clinical factors to inform decisions in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and HER2-positive disease.

For patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and HER2-positive disease—subtypes that often require rapid, intensive therapy—early readouts on metabolic activity can complement biopsy and imaging morphology to refine neoadjuvant decisions.

When early metabolic evaluations appear favorable or concerning, they can inform treatment adjustments alongside clinical exam, imaging morphology, and pathologic data, aligning changes with multidisciplinary review and guideline-based care rather than relying on a single signal.

Yet even with robust tools, missed or delayed screenings—often shaped by access, awareness, and structural barriers—remain a practical challenge. Addressing these gaps calls for outreach, navigation support, and system-level solutions that bring evidence-based screening within reach.

As teams connect detection, cardio-oncology insights, and treatment planning, services are evolving to include cardiovascular referrals when BAC is reported, coordinated follow-up after abnormal screens, and multidisciplinary tumor boards that incorporate metabolic response data into care plans.