[What do clinicians do with the results of the systematic staging imaging at the time of the breast cancer diagnosis?]

[Metastatic screening before adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer]

INTRODUCTION

Systematic metastasis staging in early breast cancer is no longer recommended. However, it is still performed before adjuvant chemotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We assessed metastasis screening of asymptomatic women with a local breast cancer without lymph node involvement when adjuvant chemotherapy was indicated. The screening result was classified in 3 groups: "non-metastatic", "metastatic" and "suspect". For suspect screening, we analyzed the checking period and the consequences on cares.

RESULTS

Out of 1545 patients with possible indication of chemotherapy, 690 indications of chemotherapy were validated by multidisciplinary meeting. Six hundred and thirty-nine metastasis screening were done. Five hundred and fifty-five screenings (86.9 %) were "non-metastatic", 3 screenings (0.5 %) were "metastatic" and 81 screenings (12.7 %) were "suspect". Out of this 81 suspect screening, only 47 screening have been checked, using 61 further investigations. No breast cancer metastasis was finally identified.

CONCLUSION

Low rate of metastasis suggest reassessing metastasis screening before adjuvant chemotherapy for patients without lymph node involvement.