BACKGROUND: We wanted to check if our routines for diagnosing and treating primary operable breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ were concordant with national guidelines and quality standards. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from medical journals for all relevant patients operated at Alesund Hospital, Norway from 1.11.02 to 1.05.08. RESULTS: 487 breasts were operated in 478 patients. A triple-diagnostic approach (mammography/ultrasound, clinical examination and biopsy) was used in 98 % of patients and ultrasound-guided core-needle-biopsy in 86 %. For 82 % of patients one visit in an out-patient-department was enough to conclude with a malignant diagnosis. A sentinel node biopsy was taken for 378 of 457 (83 %) patients operated in the axilla; a sentinel node was found in 93 % of them. Three (median) sentinel nodes were removed (spread in the range 1 - 12). 51 % of patients had breast-conserving surgery. From diagnosis of cancer to completion of all surgical procedures, 57 patients (12 %) had two operations, three (0.6 %) had three operations (in the breast and axilla), and 89 % of patients had completed all surgery within three weeks.13 % of patients had postoperative complications. After axillary lymph-node dissection, 20 % of patients had lymph-oedema/shoulder/arm pain. Three patients had ipsilateral relapse in the breast or thoracic wall. None had axillary relapse after sentinel-node biopsy. The median observation time was 26 months (0 - 66 months). INTERPRETATION: The results of diagnosis and treatment in our hospital are in good accordance with our national guidelines and quality standards.
BACKGROUND: We wanted to check if our routines for diagnosing and treating primary operable breast cancer and ductal carcinoma in situ were concordant with national guidelines and quality standards. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were retrospectively collected from medical journals for all relevant patients operated at Alesund Hospital, Norway from 1.11.02 to 1.05.08. RESULTS: 487 breasts were operated in 478 patients. A triple-diagnostic approach (mammography/ultrasound, clinical examination and biopsy) was used in 98 % of patients and ultrasound-guided core-needle-biopsy in 86 %. For 82 % of patients one visit in an out-patient-department was enough to conclude with a malignant diagnosis. A sentinel node biopsy was taken for 378 of 457 (83 %) patients operated in the axilla; a sentinel node was found in 93 % of them. Three (median) sentinel nodes were removed (spread in the range 1 - 12). 51 % of patients had breast-conserving surgery. From diagnosis of cancer to completion of all surgical procedures, 57 patients (12 %) had two operations, three (0.6 %) had three operations (in the breast and axilla), and 89 % of patients had completed all surgery within three weeks.13 % of patients had postoperative complications. After axillary lymph-node dissection, 20 % of patients had lymph-oedema/shoulder/arm pain. Three patients had ipsilateral relapse in the breast or thoracic wall. None had axillary relapse after sentinel-node biopsy. The median observation time was 26 months (0 - 66 months). INTERPRETATION: The results of diagnosis and treatment in our hospital are in good accordance with our national guidelines and quality standards.