TY - JOUR
T1 - Follow-up of patients with early breast cancer
T2 - Is it time to rewrite the story?
AU - Puglisi, Fabio
AU - Fontanella, Caterina
AU - Numico, Gianmauro
AU - Sini, Valentina
AU - Evangelista, Laura
AU - Monetti, Francesco
AU - Gori, Stefania
AU - Del Mastro, Lucia
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - The guidelines for follow-up in breast cancer survivors support only performance of periodic physical examination and annual mammography. However, medical oncologists and primary care physicians routinely recommend both blood tests and non-mammographic imaging tests in asymptomatic patients, leading to an increased anxiety related to false-positive results and higher medical expenses. Recently, advanced imaging technologies have improved sensitivity/specificity to detect metastatic lesions before symptoms arise. Considering the progress made in the treatment of metastatic disease and the rapid evolution of targeted therapy, that requires customization of the strategy according to molecular characteristics of the disease, patients could derive real benefit to early detection of disease recurrence. This hypothesis must be tested in a prospective clinical trial.
AB - The guidelines for follow-up in breast cancer survivors support only performance of periodic physical examination and annual mammography. However, medical oncologists and primary care physicians routinely recommend both blood tests and non-mammographic imaging tests in asymptomatic patients, leading to an increased anxiety related to false-positive results and higher medical expenses. Recently, advanced imaging technologies have improved sensitivity/specificity to detect metastatic lesions before symptoms arise. Considering the progress made in the treatment of metastatic disease and the rapid evolution of targeted therapy, that requires customization of the strategy according to molecular characteristics of the disease, patients could derive real benefit to early detection of disease recurrence. This hypothesis must be tested in a prospective clinical trial.
KW - Early breast cancer
KW - Follow-up
KW - Surveillance
KW - Survivorship care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84903478998&partnerID=8YFLogxK
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U2 - 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2014.03.001
DO - 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2014.03.001
M3 - Article
C2 - 24726438
AN - SCOPUS:84903478998
VL - 91
SP - 130
EP - 141
JO - Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
JF - Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
SN - 1040-8428
IS - 2
ER -