Problems with the Second Breast Cancer Screening

Abstract

We examined the presence of introduction letters and test results in an institution that conducts second breast cancer screenings. We investigated the 6,071 new patients who visited our hospital for the past seven years. Of these, 2,379 patients exhibited an abnormality during the first breast cancer screening. Of these, 78.7% were provided with an introduction later. Regarding imaging of the breast cancer, 33.2% had mammograms, 11.9% had ultrasonograms, 3.7% had MRI images, and 4.3% had CT images. Regarding obtaining of biopsy specimens, 2.6% and 0.8% underwent aspiration biopsy cytology and core needle biopsy, respectively. The patients who noted an abnormality during the first breast cancer screening tended to return for follow-up and confirmation. It is important to build a system that allows detailed test results to be communicated from the primary medical institution to the second medical institution.