title: [Experiences with after care of patients with breast cancer].
abstract: We retrospectively analyzed methods of follow-up and subsequent clinical outcome in 399 breast cancer patients treated with curative intent. Radioisotope liver scans, liver sonograms and laboratory investigations were of little value in detecting metastases. Mammography detected 2 of 6 contralateral breast cancers in an asymptomatic stage. Of 92 metastatic diseases, 24 were disclosed by a total of 871 radioisotope bone scans, and 17 were disclosed by a total of 2409 chest x-rays. The detection of distant metastases in an asymptomatic stage by diagnostic procedures vs detection by symptoms was not correlated with a survival benefit. The survival times for the two groups were 6.4 years vs 6.7 years (p = 0.7) after initiation of primary therapy, and 20.8 vs 20.4 months (p = 0.9) after the diagnosis of metastatic disease. Our study does not lend support to the hypothesis that the detection of metastatic disease in an asymptomatic stage or regular follow-up visits are associated with a survival benefit. We conclude that clinical history, physical examination, and mammography are the most important procedures in the follow-up of breast cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Frauenklinik Düsseldorf.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Umbach
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Holzki
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Perschmann
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Schnürch
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Bender
mesh_terms: D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009378:Neoplasms, Multiple Primary / Q000473:pathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology*
vernacular_title: Erfahrungen in der Nach-sorge von Patientinnen mit Mammakarzinom.