Breast ultrasound in breast cancer surveillance; incremental cancers found at what cost?

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine the diagnostic parameters of breast ultrasound (US) in the setting of routine radiological surveillance after a diagnosis of breast cancer and evaluate costs of the inclusion of breast US as well as any survival benefit of US detected cases of recurrence in surveillance. METHODS: 622 patients underwent breast cancer surgery and follow up at Austin Health from July 2009 to December 2015. Retrospective data analysis was performed to determine; diagnostic parameters, financial costs of US and survival outcomes of US detected cases of recurrence. RESULTS: Patients underwent 1-9 years of breast cancer surveillance, with a median of 4.24 years. 390 (62.7%) patients underwent ..