Evaluation of routine follow-up after surgery for breast carcinoma

Close postoperative follow-up of patients with breast cancer permits the early detection of possible recurrence of disease. Such follow-up allows for the detection of a tumor mass, that is small enough to permit adequate treatment leading to an increased survival time and better quality of life. Thus we studied 85 patients treated by radical mastectomy in stages I, II, and III during the period from December 1977 to June 1982. Among 82 patients, 41 had axillary node involvement and received adjuvant chemotherapy with C.M.F. All patients received a strict follow-up. Thirty-two patients showed recurrence of the disease, with 28. 1% being discovered while still asymptomatic. Seventy-five percent of the recurrences were in the first 24 months after treatment. The frequency of involved sites was different between the group of patients with involvement and the group without involvement of axillary nodes. We have concluded that in asymptomatic patients certain exams need not be repeated at frequent intervals, and we have proposed a new follow-up protocol.