title: The reality in the surveillance of breast cancer survivors-results of a patient survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  International guidelines for the surveillance of breast cancer patients recommend a minimized clinical follow-up including routine history and physical examination and regularly scheduled mammograms. However, the abandonment of scheduled follow-up examinations in breast cancer survivors remains a contradiction to established follow-up guidelines for other solid tumours.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report the patients' view on the basis of a survey performed in two separate geographical areas in Germany. The questionnaires were sent out to 2.658 patients with a history of breast cancer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 801 patients (30.1%) responded to the questionnaire. The results of the survey can be summarized in two major categories: First, necessity for surveillance was affirmed by a majority (>95%), and 47.8% of the organized patients answered that there was a need for more intensive diagnostic effort during follow-up. The main expectation from an intensified follow-up was the increased feeling of security as expressed by >80% of the women. Second, the present survey indicates that most of the regularly scheduled follow-up visits were expanded using extensive laboratory and imaging procedures exceeding the quantity of examinations recommended in the present follow-up guidelines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the fact that only one third of the patients responded to the questionnaire, the survey indicates that a majority of physicians who treated these patients still do not accept the present follow-up guidelines. To some extent this may be explained by the observation that patients and possibly also their doctors trust that intensified follow-up increases diagnostic security and survival. Since considerable changes in the treatment options of breast cancer have been made during the last decades a new trial of investigations in follow-up is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology and Oncology.
authors.forename: Stemmler
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hans-Joachim
authors.forename: Lässig
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dorit
authors.forename: Stieber
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petra
authors.forename: Bauerfeind
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ingo
authors.forename: Kahlert
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Steffen
authors.forename: Fasching Peter
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: Beckmann Matthias
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Glattes
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Margrit
authors.forename: Goldmann-Posch
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Ursula
authors.forename: Hoffmann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Verena
authors.forename: Untch
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Michael
authors.forename: Heinemann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Volker