Abstract
Background. To describe when women diagnosed with breast cancer return for their first mammography, and to identify factors predictive of women returning for mammographic surveillance.
Methods. Women who underwent mammography at facilities participating in the National Cancer Institute's Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium (BCSC) during 1996 and who were subsequently diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ or invasive breast cancer were included in this study. Data from seven mammography registries were linked to population-based cancer and pathology registries. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to depict the number of months from the breast cancer diagnosis to the first mammogram within the defined follow-up period. Demographic, disease and treatment variables were included in univariate and multivariate analyses to identify factors predictive of women returning for mammography.
Results. Of the 2503 women diagnosed with breast cancer, 78.1% returned for mammography examination between 7 and 30 months following the diagnosis. Mammography facilities indicated that 66.8% of mammography examinations were classified as screening. Multivariate analyses found that women were most likely to undergo surveillance mammography if they were diagnosed at ages 60–69 with Stage 0, I or II breast cancer and had received radiation therapy in addition to surgery.
Conclusions. While the majority of women return for mammographic surveillance following breast cancer, some important subgroups of women at higher risk for recurrence are less likely to return. Research is needed to determine why some women are not undergoing mammography surveillance after a breast cancer diagnosis and whether surveillance increases the chance of detecting tumors with a good prognosis.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Broet P, de la Rochefordiere A, Scholl S, Fourquet A, Mosseri V, Durand JC, Pouillart P, Asselain, B: Contralateral breast cancer: annual incidence and risk parameters. J Clin Oncol 13: 1578–1583, 1995
Fowble B, Solin LJ, Schultz DJ, Weiss MC: Breast recurrence and survival related to primary tumor location in patients undergoing conservative surgery and radiation for early-stage breast cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 23: 933–939, 1992
Recht A, Silen W, Schnitt SJ, Connolly JL, Gelman RS, Rose MA, Silver B, Harris JR: Time-course of local recurrence following conservative surgery and radiotherapy for early stage breast cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 15: 255–261, 1988
Kurtz J, Amalric R, Ayme HB, Jacquemier J, Pietra J, Hans D, Pollet JF, Bressac C, Spitalier JM: Local recurrence after breast-conservation surgery and radiotherapy. Cancer 63: 1912–1917, 1989
Smith T, Davidson N, Schapira D, Grunfeld E, Muss H, Vogel V, Somerfield MR: American Society of Clinical Oncology 1998 update of recommended breast cancer surveillance guidelines. J Clin Oncol 47: 1080–1082, 1999
Schapira M, McAuliffe T, Nattinger A: Underutilization of mammography in older breast cancer survivors. Med Care 38: 281–289, 2000
Lash T, Sillman R: Medical surveillance after breast cancer diagnosis. Med Care 39: 945–955, 2001
Andersen M, Urban N: The use of mammography by survivors of breast cancer. Am J Public Health 88: 1713–1715, 1998
Hillner B, McDonald K, Penerthy L, Desch C, Smith T, Maddux P, Glasheen WP, Retchin SM: Measuring standards of care for early breast cancer in an insured population. J Clin Oncol 15: 1401–1408, 1997
Ballard-Barbash R, Taplin S, Yankaskas B, Ernster V, Rosenberg R, Carney PA, Barlow W, Geller B, Kerlikowske K, Edwards B, Lynch C, Urban N, Chrvala C, Key C, Poplack S, Worden JK, Kessler L: Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium: a national mammography screening and outcomes database. AJR 169: 1001–1008, 1997
Carney PA, Geller B, Moffett H, Ganger M, Sewell M, Barlow WE, et al.: Medico-legal issues and protective policies and procedures for data integrity and confidentiality in a large multi-center research program: The National Cancer Institute's Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium. Am J Epidemiol 152: 371–378, 2000
D'Orsi C, Bassett L, Feig S, Jackson VP, Kopans DB, Linver MN, Sickles EA, Stelling CB: Illustrated breast imaging reporting and data system: Illustrated BI-RADSTM. 3rd edn, American College of Radiology, Reston, VA, 1998
Bickell N, Chassin M: Determining the quality of breast cancer care: do tumor registries measure up? Ann Intern Med 132: 705–710, 2000
Giess C, Keating D, Osborne M, Rosenblatt R: Local tumor recurrence following breast-conservation therapy: correlation of histopathologic findings with detection method and mammographic findings. Radiology 212: 829–835, 1999
Orel S, Troupin R, Patterson E, Fowble B: Breast cancer recurrenceafter lumpectomy and irradiation: role of mammography in detection. Radiology 183: 201–206, 1992
Ashkanani F, Sarkar T, Needham G, Coldwells A, Ah-See A, Gilbert F, Hutcheon AW, Eremin O, Heys SD: What is achieved by mammographic surveillance after breast conservation treatment for breast cancer? Am J Surg 182: 207–210, 2001
Muss H: Postoperative follow-up after early-stage breast cancer. Breast J 2: 281–285, 1996
Abner A, Recht A, Emberlein T, Come S, Shulman L, Hayes D, Connolly JL, Silver B, Harris JR: Prognosis following salvage mastectomy for recurrence in the breast after conservative surgery and radiation therapy for early-stage breast cancer. J Clin Oncol 11: 44–48, 1993
Doyle T, Schultz D, Peters C, Harris E, Solin L: Long-term results of local recurrence after breast conservation treatment for invasive breast cancer. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 51: 74–80, 2001
Grosse A, Schreer I, Frischbier H, Maass H, Loening TB, Ahnsen J: Results of breast conserving therapy for early breast cancer and the role of mammographic follow-up. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 38: 761–767, 1997
Dershaw D: Mammography in patients with breast cancer treated by breast conservation (lumpectomy with or without radiation). AJR 164: 309–316, 1995
Mellink W, Holland R, Hendriks J, Peeters P, Rutgers E, van Daal W: The contribution of routine follow-up mammography to an early detection of asynchronous contralateral breast cancer. Cancer 67: 1844–1848, 1991
Ciatto S, Ambrogetti D, Bonardi R, Bravetti P, Del Tureo M: Prognostic impact of early detection of contralateral primary breast cancer. Tumori 76: 370–373, 1990
Kaas R, Hart A, Besard A, Peterse J, Rutgers E: Impact of mammographic interval on stage and survival after the diagnosis of contralateral breast cancer. Br J Surg 88: 123–127, 2001
Kollias J, Evans A, Wilson R, Ellis I, Elston C, Blamey R: Value of contralateral surveillance mammography for primary breast cancer. World J Surg 24: 983–989, 2000
Fisher B, Anderson S, Redmond C, Wolmark N, Wickerham D, Cronin W: Re-analysis and results after 12 years of followup in a randomized clinical trial comparing total mastectomy with lumpectomy with or without irradiation in the treatment of breast cancer. N Engl J Med 333: 1456–1461, 1995
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Geller, B.M., Kerlikowske, K., Carney, P.A. et al. Mammography Surveillance Following Breast Cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat 81, 107–115 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025794629878
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1025794629878