long term follow-up
Last reviewed 01/2018
The aim of follow up is three fold:
- to detect local recurrence
- to detect disease in the other breast
- to ensure that a close eye is kept on first degree relatives particularly if the patient is pre-menopausal
Regular clinical examination and mammography are recommended. Follow up should be arranged according to the type of surgery performed.
After breast conservation surgery, recurrence occurs at a fixed rate each year and the patient should be reviewed every 6 months. For mastectomy however, recurrence decreases with time and thus after 2 years of 6 monthly follow up, the patient may be reviewed annually.