[The value of follow-up bone scans in the management of postoperative breast cancer--when should it be performed?].
We have reviewed the bone scans of 106 patients with breast cancer taken after surgery, in order to determine when follow-up bone scans should be performed. The results obtained are as follows: 1. The incidence of bone metastasis was seen to be 11.6% in stage I, 39.4% in stage II, 43.5% in stage III, 57.1% in stage IV, and 30.2% overall; 2. Of 32 patients with bone metastasis, 28 patients (87.5%) developed bone metastases within the first 4 years; 3. The scan conversion rate was found to be 31.9% and the time interval to conversion ranged from 4.5 months to 28.5 months; and, 4. The period from single to multiple metastases ranged from 2 months to 37.5 months. Our findings suggest that postoperative follow-up bone scans for stage I breast cancer should be performed annually or when symptoms develop, and follow-ups for stages II, III and IV at six monthly intervals for the first 4 years after surgery and then annually.
Suzuki
T
T
Dept. of Radiology, Yamagata Univ. School of Med.
Watarai
J
J
Ohgushi
M
M
Adachi
M
M
Yamaguchi
K
K
D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013997:Time Factors