Apollo Athenaa Introduces MRI-Guided Biopsy for Early Breast Cancer Detection in India

MRI-Guided VABB is a minimally invasive diagnostic technique designed to identify and confirm breast cancer at very early stages, including Stage 0 and Stage 1, when tumors may be small, symptom-free, and difficult to detect through conventional imaging.

Apollo Athenaa Women’s Cancer Centre has introduced MRI-Guided Vacuum-Assisted Breast Biopsy (MRI-Guided VABB) to improve early detection of breast cancer cases that are often missed by standard screening methods such as mammography and ultrasound.

Studies indicate that 10–20% of breast cancers may go undetected on mammograms, with the miss rate significantly higher among women with dense breast tissue. The challenge is particularly pronounced in India, where younger women are increasingly diagnosed with aggressive breast cancers, often at advanced stages.

Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among Indian women, accounting for 27–28% of all female cancers, according to data from the Indian Council of Medical Research–National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (ICMR–NCDIR). Projections estimate a 170.5% rise in new breast cancer cases and a 200.5% increase in related deaths by 2050, with a growing shift toward younger age groups.

MRI-Guided VABB is a minimally invasive diagnostic technique designed to identify and confirm breast cancer at very early stages, including Stage 0 and Stage 1, when tumors may be small, symptom-free, and difficult to detect through conventional imaging. The procedure is particularly suited for patients with dense breasts or those at high risk, where routine screening tools have reduced sensitivity.

According to Apollo Athenaa, the centre has also integrated high-resolution MRI systems supported by artificial intelligence-based protocols. These protocols have reduced breast MRI scan time from approximately 50 minutes to under 15 minutes, while maintaining diagnostic image quality. The shorter scan time is expected to improve access to MRI-based screening for a larger patient population.

Indian clinical data highlights the urgency for earlier detection. A study involving 2,470 breast cancer patients found that 14.3% were younger than 40 years. Nearly 70% of these younger patients presented with Stage III or IV disease, while 45.7% were diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer, an aggressive subtype associated with poorer outcomes.

Dr. Preetha Reddy, Executive Vice Chairperson, Apollo Hospitals Group, said the introduction of MRI-Guided VABB strengthens the breast diagnostic pathway by enabling earlier and more precise confirmation of disease. Dr. Jyoti Arora, Senior Consultant and Lead, Department of Breast Radiology at Apollo Athenaa, noted that delayed diagnosis remains a key factor behind poor outcomes in younger women, where dense breast tissue limits the effectiveness of mammography.

Apollo Athenaa cited a recent case in which MRI-Guided VABB detected Stage 0 breast cancer in a patient whose mammography and ultrasound results were normal, enabling early surgical intervention.

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