If it’s time for your annual mammogram, you may qualify to take part in a national research study at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).
TMIST (Tomosynthesis Mammographic Imaging Screening Trial) compares two standard breast cancer screening methods—tomosynthesis (3D) mammograms and digital (2D) mammograms. The study is designed to help researchers determine whether one method is better than the other at finding life-threatening breast cancers.
To find out if you qualify, contact the UAMS TMIST study coordinator at (501) 400-3195 or TMISTstudy@uams.edu.
“By participating in this research study, you can help determine the most effective type of mammogram and how often women should receive screening,” said Gwendolyn Bryant-Smith, MD, chief of breast imaging at UAMS.
Women ages 45 to 74 who plan to get a routine screening mammogram at the UAMS Breast Center are eligible for this trial. Participants are randomly assigned to get either a 3D or 2D mammogram every one or two years for the first five years of the study. Researchers will follow each woman’s breast cancer status for a total of eight years by reviewing medical records and possibly conducting phone interviews.
Researchers plan to enroll 165,000 women in the study at about 100 clinics in the United States and Canada.
TMIST was developed by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group and the American College of Radiology Imaging Network (ECOG-ACRIN) Cancer Research Group and the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. ECOG-ACRIN leads the trial.
Participants must not be pregnant, intend to get pregnant, or be lactating; have a history of breast cancer; show signs of breast disease; have had a screening mammogram in the past 11 months; or have breast implants or enhancements.