Hartford Business Journal

HCH.18 Hartford Business Journal • December 8, 2014 www.HartfordBusiness.com HealtH Care Heroes 2014 Weigert works to improve breast cancer outcomes By Kathryn M. Roy Special to the Hartford Business Journal B reast cancer researcher, physician and patient advocate Dr. Jean Weigert is a radiologist who spends her days on the front lines of patient care as director of breast imaging at The Hospital of Central Connecticut. That hasn't stopped Weigert from finding the time and energy to spend countless hours researching new ways to improve outcomes for breast cancer patients. Weigert said her research interests were piqued in the early 2000s when the organization Are You Dense Inc. began grassroots efforts educating women on dense breast tissue. "[Are You Dense founder Nancy M. Cappello] is a woman who has been working diligently to make people aware that although a mammogram is still the best way to screen for breast cancer, for women who have dense breast tissue, cancers may be obscured," Weigert said. They can also be at higher risk for breast cancer because of the nature of the tissue itself." Weigert, who currently serves as the first female president of the Radiological Society of Connecticut, said in 2009 the state passed a law that required healthcare providers to inform mam- mogram patients of their breast density, and recommend a bilat- eral breast ultrasound if their tissue density was 50 percent or greater. Weigert said an initial study conducted by the American College of Radiology in 2008 found that 4.2 per 1,000 addi- tional cancers were found with ultrasound that would not have been found through mammogram alone. Weigert said she wanted to conduct her own study. "I said to colleagues around the state, 'Give me your data,'" she said. "With the help of a medical student from the Uni- versity of Connecticut, from 2009 to 2010, we gathered over 10,000 screening ultrasounds." While the study showed 3.2 cancers per 1,000 that would not have been discovered through mammograms alone, there were some concerns. "We had what we call a low positive predictive value," she said. "We were biopsying a lot of things that were benign." A second study conducted by Weigert found ultrasounds continuing to find cancers in similar numbers. Weigert will pres- ent four years of data at two upcoming national conferences. Weigert said her studies have proven that breast ultrasound is a valuable tool to add into some patient's screening protocol. "It's safe, (and) there's no radiation," she said. In addition to her research work, Weigert also is busy with patient advocacy, including being active in the American Col- lege of Radiology. She is working to help control costs of breast ultrasounds through her support of legislation capping co-pays for the procedure. Dr. Kristen A. Zarfos, surgical director of The Hospital of Central Connecticut cancer center's Comprehensive Breast Health Center, has worked with Weigert for several years. Zarfos said Weigert has made a major impact on breast cancer outcomes everywhere. "I think the work she has done has been instrumental in saving women's lives," she said. "The patients have a better chance that their cancers will be found in an earlier stage with less intrusive treatment." Zarfos said Weigert is intellectually driven to do research that produces scientifically sound results, while being a kind and compassionate physician. "The most interesting thing for me is someone in private practice — not in an academic setting — doing groundbreaking research that saves patient's lives," Zarfos said. "It's extraordi- narily unusual. She does this research on her own because she's driven to find the answers, without any other reward than to help women find their cancers at an earlier stage." Weigert, of Simsbury, said women's health is a passion of hers, and she wants to see more medical professionals advo- cating for women. "I really try to mentor women," she said. "I have five daugh- ters — two of my own, and three stepdaughters — and I look at them in awe at the opportunities they have." A competitive ballroom dancer, Weigert said she puts her all into everything she does. "I get up every morning and go to work and enjoy doing what I do," she said. "If it means I stick my neck out on issues that are controversial, so be it. Someone's got to do it." Jean Weigert Director of Breast Imaging The Hospital of Central Connecticut Category Winner: pHysiCiaN " " I get up every morning and go to work and enjoy doing what I do. If it means I stick my neck out on issues that are controversial, so be it. Someone's got to do it. P H O T O | C O n T r i b u T e d The Hospital of Central Connecticut physician Jean Weigert has been performing research that aims to determine the effectiveness of using ultrasounds to detect breast cancer for women with dense breast tissue.

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