This study looked at 148 breast cancer patients who underwent surgery after completing six to eight cycles of neoadjuvant therapy. The goal was to see if certain MRI features could accurately predict changes in the Ki-67 index, a marker of how fast tumor cells are dividing. Scientists compared a new multi-phase MRI analysis against simpler models that used only one phase or a different timing approach.
The new multi-phase model showed the best performance, correctly identifying changes in about 82% of cases in the testing group. Other models performed less well, with accuracy rates around 62% to 65%. The researchers also found that tumor characteristics like HER2 status and histological grade were linked to the results.
Because this was a small, retrospective study, the findings are promising but not yet proven. The new MRI method is non-invasive and could help doctors plan treatment, but larger studies are needed to confirm these results. Readers should not assume this will immediately change how breast cancer is treated.