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S10 E09: Bayer's Dr Joana Reis on the promise of AI in breast cancer

·24 min

Aja opens the conversation by introducing Dr Joanna Rees and the work she now leads as Medical Affairs Breast Lead for Radiology at Bayer. She also traces Rees’s earlier role in Medical Affairs for Digital Radiology and her time as a Senior Consultant Breast Radiologist in Oslo. The discussion stays focused on imaging, screening, and patient impact. Rees describes how her career has been shaped by both diagnostic and screening settings, and how that experience shapes her view of innovation. The episode places AI within a broader effort to improve breast cancer care. Rather than treating technology as an abstract promise, it is discussed in terms of practical outcomes for patients and clinicians. Mammography is presented as the gold standard for breast cancer screening. That point is not challenged, but it is complicated by the reality of dense breast tissue. Rees explains that dense breasts are a real risk factor for breast cancer. She also notes that density can reduce mammography sensitivity because cancers may be masked. The episode brings in recent US policy as part of that picture. The FDA now requires mammography facilities to notify patients about breast density, and the discussion contrasts that development with the situation in Europe. That contrast matters because awareness changes behavior. If patients do not know they have dense breasts, they may not know to ask about supplemental options. Supplemental screening is therefore positioned as an important next step for selected patients. Rees mentions contrast-enhanced mammography and breast MRI as key tools in that context. Breast MRI gets special attention. The conversation points to its increasing use as a supplemental screening tool for high-risk patients because of its high sensitivity. The discussion also references research support from Bayer. Rees cites the DENSE-1 and DENSE-2 trials in the Netherlands and the BRIGHT study in the UK as evidence-building efforts. Those studies show that the question is not just whether mammography works. The larger question is when it is enough and when it needs help. A second major theme is public awareness. Rees says a recent Bayer study found that more than 60% of women were unaware that high breast density is a risk factor for breast cancer. That statistic becomes one of the episode’s clearest takeaways. Underdiagnosis matters, but under-awareness is part of the same problem. Aja responds in a reflective, affirming way and keeps the discussion centered on patient education. The tone stays warm and measured throughout. The episode also carries a broader leadership message. Rees’s work is presented as an example of aligning innovation with patient-centric outcomes rather than innovation for its own sake. The closing section reinforces that point by returning to education and communication. Screening only helps if people understand what the results mean and what options come next. Overall, the episode is structured as a professional interview that moves from role context to clinical nuance to patient outreach. It is careful, orderly, and focused on what women need to know next. It ends with a reminder that better imaging is only part of the solution. Better understanding around density and screening remains essential.

As heard by us

A calm, clinically grounded look at screening, density, and patient awareness in breast cancer care.

This episode takes a practical, patient-focused look at breast cancer screening. It works best when it ties clinical detail to the everyday challenge of dense breast tissue, which can make mammography less sensitive and allow cancers to be missed, so supplemental screening…

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Why you'd press play

You want the clearest case for why breast density changes screening decisions.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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