Five-year longitudinal mammographic follow-up after breast cancer.

Abstract

37 Background: Breast Cancer recurrences following radiation are seen in the first three to five years after treatment. As part of our Survivorship Program, annual screening mammography is a guideline following treatment with the exception of those patients who undergo bilateral mastectomy. To evaluate compliance with this guideline, we followed patients treated in 2012 for breast cancer at our institution, over the five-year period through 2017. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with breast cancer in 2012 was conducted and annual mammography was assessed for compliance for a period of five-years. Compliance was defined as having annual mammography screening for five years, until recurrence or until death. Results: 252 patients were treated for Breast Cancer in 2012. Of these, 15 patients had follow-up elsewhere. 4 patients had metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis and were not included. 3 patients with male breast cancer had no mammographic follow-up. 5 patients had bilateral mastectomies and were excluded leaving 225 patients followed for compliance. Of the 225 evaluable patients, 134 (59.5%) were compliant with mammography. 126 (56.0%) had a full five years of follow-up and had no recurrent breast cancer. 158 (70.2%) had four years of follow-up. 168 patients (74.7%) had three years of follow-up. 178 (79.1%) had two years of follow-up. 190 (84.4%) had at least one year of follow-up. 14 (6.2%) died before the five year follow-up of causes not related to breast cancer. 7 (3.1%) developed metastatic disease during follow-up and no additional mammography was carried out. 7 had ipsilateral recurrence, 3 had contralateral recurrence (4.4%). Conclusions: In an upper-middle class population that is well insured and should be compliant, only 59.5% of eligible patients were compliant with mammography for five-years, until recurrence or death. Since almost 5% of patients in this cohort recurred in the breast, follow-up with annual mammography is critical. The Survivorship Care Plan (SCP) discussion with the patient is a strategy to address compliance with annual follow-up. Future studies are planned to re-evaluate compliance with annual mammography.