The role of early post-treatment mammography after breast conservation therapy

Current major national guidelines recommend early mammographic evaluation after completion of breast conservation therapy (BCT). However, the clinical utility of these recommendations are not well defined. Our objective was to determine the role of post-treatment mammogram after BCT.

A retrospective review at a single tertiary referral institution of all female patients (>18 years old) who underwent BCT for invasive breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ was performed.

Between 2004 and 2013, 342 patients met inclusion criteria. All patients underwent post-BCT mammograms with a mean time of 198 ± 59 days after treatment. Nineteen patients (5%) had findings that prompted biopsy on initial post-treatment mammogram. Of those 19 patients, there was 1 (5%) patient that had malignancy identified on biopsy. This represents .3% of overall patients who underwent mammography in the early postoperative period.

The utility of early mammogram after BCT is limited and prompts unnecessary diagnostic procedures, which are marginally beneficial. We recommend resetting the timing of mammography to resume 12 months after BCT is complete.