title: Short-term imaging follow-up of patients with concordant benign breast core needle biopsies: is it really worth it?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Women with histologically proven concordant benign breast disease are often followed closely after biopsy for a period of two years, and they are considered to be at high-risk for cancer development. Our goal was to evaluate the utility of short-term (six-month) imaging follow-up and determine the incidence of breast cancer development in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of concordant benign breast pathology was performed in 558 patients who underwent multimodality breast core biopsy. A total of 339 patients (60.7%) with 393 biopsies qualified for the study. The six-, 12-, and 24-month incidence rates of breast cancer development were estimated with 95% confidence intervals (CI), using the exact method binomial proportions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No cancer was detected in 285 of 339 patients (84.1%) returning for the six-month follow-up. No cancer was detected in 271 of 339 patients (79.9%) returning for the 12-month follow-up. Among 207 follow-up exams (61.1%) performed at 24 months, three patients were detected to have cancer in the ipsilateral breast (1.45% [95% CI, 0.30%-4.18%]) and two patients were detected to have cancer in the contralateral breast (0.97% [95% CI, 0.12%-3.45%]). Subsequent patient biopsy rate was 30 of 339 (8.85%, [95% CI, 6.05%-12.39%]). Three ipsilateral biopsies occurred as a sole result of the six-month follow-up of 285 patients (1.05%, [95% CI, 0.22%-3.05%]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term imaging follow-up did not contribute to improved breast cancer detection, as all subsequent cancers were detected on annual mammography. Annual diagnostic mammography after benign breast biopsy may be sufficient.
authors.affiliation: Advanced Imaging of Port Charlotte, Port Charlotte, Florida, USA. jennifer.drukteinis@moffitt.org.
authors.forename: Michelle C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Falcon
authors.forename: Blaise P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Mooney
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Laronga
authors.forename: Alec
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.forename: Jennifer S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Drukteinis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D062005:Biopsy, Large-Core Needle / Q000379:methods; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods