Dr. Karen Wernli, a Senior Scientific Investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute, explores the topic of preoperative breast MRIs in a PCORI funded study. The conversation provides insights into the emotional and practical aspects of living with cancer and the need for improved communication between researchers and patients. They touch on the classification of breast density, the importance of guidelines, and the need for mandatory reporting of breast density and discuss various topics related to breast cancer screening and decision-making. They also explore the concept of decision quality and how it is measured in research studies.

This episode was supported by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) and features this PCORI study by Karen Wernli, PhD, Diana Miglioretti, PhD, Karla Kerlikowske, MD, Anna Tosteson ScD & Tracy Onega, PhD.

Key Highlights:

1. Dr. Karen Wernli explores how breast density may influence decision quality and regret in treatment decisions involving preoperative breast MRIs. 

2. Breast density is not only a factor in masking breast cancers but also an independent risk factor for breast cancer itself, and patients are eligible for advanced screening if they have dense breasts.

3. The discussion focuses on understanding how the use of preoperative breast MRIs affects decision quality and regret among women diagnosed with breast cancer. The study aims to shed light on whether additional imaging tests lead to increased confidence in treatment decisions or potentially cause regret.

About our guest:

Karen Wernli, PhD, is a Senior Scientific Investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute and Professor in the Department of Health System Science at Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine. She is a cancer epidemiologist and health services researcher whose work focuses on incorporating patient-centered outcomes to improve health care along the cancer care continuum, from prevention to survivorship. Her work spans several types of cancer (including breast and lung), and explores the impact of cancer in special populations (adolescents and young adults with cancer). Her research strives to answer critical questions at the confluence of patients’ needs and clinical priorities.

Research reported in this podcast  was funded through a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) award (PCS-1504-30370). Data collection for this research was additionally supported by the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium with funding from the National Cancer Institute (P01CA154292, U54CA163303), the Agency for Health Research and Quality (R01 HS018366-01A1), the UC Davis Clinical and Translational Science Center, the UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Placer County Breast Cancer Foundation. The perspective shared is solely the responsibility of Dr. Wernli and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute or Kaiser Permanente.

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