The value of clinical breast examination in a breast cancer surveillance program for women with germline BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations

Abstract

Objective: To assess the sensitivity and specificity of clinical breast examination for detecting breast cancer in asymptomatic women with predisposing germline mutations enrolled in a cancer risk management program that includes radiologic screening. Design, setting: Retrospective, longitudinal cohort study of women with BRCA1/2 mutations who attended the Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk Management Clinic at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, a tertiary referral centre in Melbourne, during 1 September 2001 – 31 December 2019. Participants: Consecutive women with BRCA1/2 mutations who did not have personal histories of cancer and had not undergone bilateral risk-reducing mastectomy, and who ha..