title: Pattern of follow-up care and early relapse detection in breast cancer patients.
abstract: Routine breast cancer follow-up aims at detecting second primary breast cancers and loco regional recurrences preclinically. We studied breast cancer follow-up practice and mode of relapse detection during the first 5 years of follow-up to determine the efficiency of the follow-up schedule. The Netherlands Cancer Registry provided data of 6,509 women, operated for invasive non-metastatic breast cancer in 2003-2004. In a random sample including 144 patients, adherence to follow-up guideline recommendations was studied. Mode of relapse detection was studied in 124 patients with a second primary breast cancer and 160 patients with a loco regional recurrence. On average 13 visits were performed during the first 5 years of the follow-up, whereas nine were recommended. With one, two and three medical disciplines involved, the number of visits was 9, 14 and 18, respectively. Seventy-five percent (93/124) of patients with a second primary breast cancer, 42 % (31/74) of patients with a loco regional recurrence after breast conserving surgery and 28 % (24/86) of patients with a loco regional recurrence after mastectomy had no symptoms at detection. To detect one loco regional recurrence or second primary breast cancer preclinically, 1,349 physical examinations versus 262 mammography and/or MRI tests were performed. Follow-up provided by only one discipline may decrease the number of unnecessary follow-up visits. Breast imaging plays a major and physical examination a minor role in the early detection of second primary breast cancers and loco regional recurrences. The yield of physical examination to detect relapses early is low and should therefore be minimised.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and HTA, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. S.Geurts@ebh.umcn.nl
authors.forename: Sandra M E
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Geurts
authors.forename: Femmie
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: de Vegt
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siesling
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Flobbe
authors.forename: Katja K H
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Aben
authors.forename: Margriet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: van der Heiden-van der Loo
authors.forename: André L M
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Verbeek
authors.forename: Jos A A M
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: van Dijck
authors.forename: Vivianne C G
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Tjan-Heijnen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016609:Neoplasms, Second Primary / Q000175:diagnosis; D009426:Netherlands; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data