title: Variations in referral pattern for postoperative radiotherapy of patients with screen-detected breast cancer in the south Thames (east) region.
abstract: This paper describes the findings of a region-wide audit undertaken in 1995-1996 of post-operative radiotherapy treatment for patients with screen-detected breast cancer. The study covers the first 3 years from the start of the South Thames (East) Breast Screening Programme in June 1988 up to March 1992. The audit shows that only 60% of the patients with invasive carcinoma who were treated by conservation surgery are known to have received radiotherapy. A considerable variation in referral patterns was observed across the region. Analysis suggests that whilst geographical, patient choice and tumour factors may play an important role in the selection of patients for radiotherapy treatment after conservative surgery for early breast cancer, management protocols of surgical units were the most critical factor, and that these appear to vary, depending on the level of involvement of the clinician with the screening programme (as measured by case-load).
authors.affiliation: South Thames (East) Breast Screening QA Reference Center, UK.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Goy
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Dobbs
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Humphreys
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Michell
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008485:Medical Audit; D011184:Postoperative Period; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies