Early detection of recurrences in the follow-up of primary breast cancer in an asymptomatic or symptomatic phase

Periodic follow-up after primary treatment for breast cancer is a common procedure for the early detection of recurrent disease in the asymptomatic state. Anyway, there is no clinical evidence that treatment of metastases may improve the prognosis if applied in the asymptomatic state. The aim of the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Tumori 2004-05, Vol.90 (3), p.276-279
Main Authors: Perrone, Maria Antonietta, Musolino, Antonino, Michiara, Maria, Di Blasio, Beatrice, Bella, Mariangela, Franciosi, Vittorio, Cocconi, Giorgio, Camisa, Roberta, Todeschini, Renata, Cascinu, Stefano
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Breast Neoplasms - diagnosis
Breast Neoplasms - mortality
Breast Neoplasms - pathology
Breast Neoplasms - prevention & control
Early Diagnosis
Female
Humans
Middle Aged
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - diagnosis
Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - prevention & control
Population Surveillance - methods
Prognosis
Risk Assessment
Survival Analysis
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Summary:Periodic follow-up after primary treatment for breast cancer is a common procedure for the early detection of recurrent disease in the asymptomatic state. Anyway, there is no clinical evidence that treatment of metastases may improve the prognosis if applied in the asymptomatic state. The aim of the present study was to investigate the modality of detection of the first relapse in the asymptomatic vs the symptomatic state. We retrospectively analyzed 717 breast cancer patients who had been consecutively referred to the Parma Oncology Division during the period 1986 to December 1988. Recurrences were detected in the course of periodic follow-up. A total of 211 of the 408 patients evaluated had a first relapse with a median follow-up of 94.7 months. Local and distant recurrences were 49% and 47%, respectively. Bone recurrences represented 24% of the total first recurrences, then chest wall recurrences in 23%, local regional nodes in 13%, lung in 7%, liver in 4%, and brain in 2%. The distribution of the studied patients according to recurrence site and asymptomatic or symptomatic state was different: 69% of asymptomatic patients (110) had a local recurrence vs 31% of symptomatic patients (101). A difference in survival was recorded in favor of cases detected in the asymptomatic state (P
ISSN:0300-8916
2038-2529
DOI:10.1177/030089160409000302