MAMMOGRAPHIC FOLLOW-UP - A VITAL COMPONENT OF BREAST-CANCER MANAGEMENT

Women with proven breast cancer arc at high risk for development of a second breast malignancy or a recurrence. An important component of cl inical care is regular mammographic follow up. to enable preclinical d iagnosis and avoid delay in treatment. One hundred and forty-two women with previous breast cancer attended a pilot mammographic screening p rogram. Eleven had suspicious mammographic lesions, all clinically occ ult; nine breast cancers were diagnosed (two recurrences and seven new tumours). The cancer detection rate in this high-risk group of women was 6.3% compared with 0.8% in 16 283 women screened with no history o f breast cancer. Examination of the mammographic history of the 142 wo men showed that mammography was used infrequently as part of their cli nical surveillance, and this led to a delay in diagnosis of the new or recurrent cancer. Recommendations for an appropriate regimen for use of mammography in new and established cases of breast cancer are made.