Baseline diagnostic imaging in early breast cancer—Five-year analysis of a large cohort

Abstract

17059 Background: Many patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer undergo multiple investigations as part of baseline staging, although the evidence base for this is poor. To assess the use of baseline diagnostic imaging and its benefit a review of practice was carried out. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients diagnosed with breast cancer in St James's Hospital in Dublin, Ireland over a five-year period was carried out. Baseline demographics and the appropriateness of baseline diagnostic imaging were assessed. Results: Between 01/01/2001 and 12/31/2005 781 patients were diagnosed with breast cancer in St James's Hospital, of whom 776 were women and 5 were men, with a mean age of 56.7 years. At diagnosis 266 patients (34%) underwent a bone scan, which showed evidence of skeletal metastases in 42 (15.8%). Of the patients with positive bone scans 26 (61.9%) were symptomatic with bone pain, and 16 (38.1%) were not. In the 16 patients without bone pain a diagnostic workup for metastatic disease was undertaken in 5 patients because of clinical findings, in 4 patients because of abnormal liver blood tests and in 5 patients because of radiological findings. Only two patients out of 266 who underwent a bone scan were found to have an incidental finding of metastatic bone disease, of whom one had a bone scan as part of a clinical trial. At diagnosis 261 patients (33.4%) underwent a liver ultrasound, which showed evidence of metastases in 23 (8.8%). Of these, 19 patients had abnormal liver blood tests. Four patients had metastatic disease on liver ultrasound with normal liver blood tests and of these, one patient had a malignant pleural effusion and one patient had inflammatory breast cancer and was considered high risk for metastatic disease. Only two patients out of 261 who underwent a liver ultrasound had incidental findings of liver metastases. Conclusions: Over a five-year period, occult metastases were discovered in only two patients on bone scans and in two patients on liver ultrasounds. The routine use of these imaging modalities to detect metastases in early breast cancer is not justifiable. No significant financial relationships to disclose.