Annual mammogram and doctor visits are sufficient follow-ups for breast cancer survivors

It is fairly common for patients who have been recently treated for early stage breast cancer to be subjected to intensive follow-ups. These follow-ups tests are often liver scans, chest x-rays, blood and liver function tests and molecular tumor markers. A recent research review has found that intensive follow-ups do not improve cancer detection and women only require an annual mammogram and doctor's visits to have the same chance of detection. The review reviewed data from four studies involving 3,055 subjects and found no improvement in new cancer detection or survival between women who received physical exams and yearly mammograms compared to women who had an intensive follow-up regime. However, women often feel the need for the reassurance that a multitude of tests gives.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by Eurekalert

Related Disease Topics:

• Breast cancer
• Cancer

Article Source Details

About: Annual mammogram and doctor visits are sufficient follow-ups for breast cancer survivors

Date: 23 January 2005

Source: Eurekalert

URL: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-01/cfta-amd012005.php

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Research
• Research and breast cancer
• Research and cancer
• Research and chest x-ray
• Research and liver scan
• Research and blood function test
• Research and liver function test
• Diagnosis
• Diagnosis and breast cancer
• Diagnosis and cancer

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