Underuse of Hospital Follow-Up Care in Breast Cancer Patients
Author Information
Author(s): Lu Wenli, Jansen Liesbeth, Schaapveld Michael, Baas Peter C, Wiggers Theo, De Bock Geertruida H
Primary Institution: University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Hypothesis
What factors influence the underuse of long-term routine hospital follow-up care in breast cancer survivors?
Conclusion
Most patients with a history of breast cancer use hospital follow-up care according to the guidelines, but older patients, those with comorbidities, and those receiving hormonal therapy are less likely to have yearly mammograms.
Supporting Evidence
- 16.1% of patients had less follow-up visits than recommended at the fifth year after diagnosis.
- 33.1% of patients had less frequent mammography than recommended at the fifth year after diagnosis.
- Older patients were found to have less frequent mammography.
- Patients with comorbidities were more likely to underuse follow-up care.
Takeaway
After breast cancer treatment, patients are supposed to have regular check-ups, but many don't go as often as they should, especially older patients.
Methodology
Data was collected from hospital documents of 662 breast cancer patients to evaluate the utilization of follow-up care and mammography.
Potential Biases
The cohort may not represent all breast cancer survivors as it included patients at greater risk of secondary breast cancer.
Limitations
The study only reviewed hospital follow-up and did not assess follow-up care in other settings like general practice or screening programs.
Participant Demographics
Median age was 57.7 years, with 29.8% under 50 years at diagnosis; 41.7% had comorbidities.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.62-2.74 for age > 70 regarding mammography underuse.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website