Anastasios Kyriazoglou1, Flora Zagouri2, Despina Fotiou2, Constantinos Dimitrakakis3, Spyros Marinopoulos3, Roubini Zakopoulou2, Maria Kaparelou2, Anna Zygogianni4, Meletios Athanasios Dimopoulos2. 1. Department of Clinical Therapeutics, General Hospital Alexandra, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece. tassoskyr@gmail.com. 2. Department of Clinical Therapeutics, General Hospital Alexandra, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece. 3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, General Hospital Alexandra, Athens, Greece. 4. Department of Radiology, General Hospital Aretaieion, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Management and optimal follow-up of early breast cancer survivors remain up to this day a challenge due to the lack of well-established guidelines. Multiple medical societies, organizations and working groups have provided recommendations for follow-up but there is no uniform, globally approved algorithm to guide clinical practice. METHODS: A systematic review was performed to identify and evaluate discrepancies between available guidelines for the follow-up of breast cancer survivors. RESULTS: Differences in the follow-up schedule, laboratory and imaging investigations were noted. In the clinical practice setting, the situation is complicated further by clinicians who often request unnecessary tests not currently incorporated in any of the existing guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Follow-up of patients with early breast cancer needs to become standardized and prospective clinical trials focusing on optimal follow-up are more than mandatory.
INTRODUCTION: Management and optimal follow-up of early breast cancer survivors remain up to this day a challenge due to the lack of well-established guidelines. Multiple medical societies, organizations and working groups have provided recommendations for follow-up but there is no uniform, globally approved algorithm to guide clinical practice. METHODS: A systematic review was performed to identify and evaluate discrepancies between available guidelines for the follow-up of breast cancer survivors. RESULTS: Differences in the follow-up schedule, laboratory and imaging investigations were noted. In the clinical practice setting, the situation is complicated further by clinicians who often request unnecessary tests not currently incorporated in any of the existing guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Follow-up of patients with early breast cancer needs to become standardized and prospective clinical trials focusing on optimal follow-up are more than mandatory.
Entities:
Keywords:
Breast cancer; Clinical practice; Discrepancies; Follow-up; Guidelines