The Role and Difficulties of the Use of Routine Screening Abdomen Ultrasound for the Detection of a Liver Metastasis in Postoperative Breast Cancer Patients.
10.3348/jkrs.2008.58.5.503
- Author:
Eun Young YOO
1
;
Eun Young KO
;
Won Jae LEE
;
Jae Hoon IM
;
So Young YOO
Author Information
1. Department of Radiology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Korea. claudel@smc.samsung.co.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Breast neoplasms;
Neoplasms metastasis;
Follow-Up studies;
Ultrasonography;
Neoplasms recurrent, local
- MeSH:
Abdomen;
Breast;
Breast Neoplasms;
Follow-Up Studies;
Humans;
Liver;
Mass Screening;
Neoplasm Metastasis
- From:Journal of the Korean Radiological Society
2008;58(5):503-507
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: To evaluate the role and difficulties of the use of routine abdomen ultrasound (US) in postoperative breast cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of 2460 patients who received breast cancer surgeries and underwent routine follow-up abdomen US for more than five years. We evaluated the number and clinical conditions of patients with a liver metastasis. We also evaluated the cut-off point of the breast cancer stage where a metastasis was likely to occur using the chi-squared test and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: A metastasis developed in 238 patients (9.7%), and the liver was the third most common organ site. However, just 24 (0.98%) patients presented only with a liver metastasis. Among these 24 patients, a metastasis was detected in 17 patients with the use of routine abdomen US. The cut-off point for a metastasis was Stage 3A. CONCLUSION: The use of routine screening abdomen ultrasound for the detection of a liver metastasis in postoperative breast cancer patients is not recommended. However, US can be used selectively in patients with clinical symptom or that present with a high stage equal or greater than Stage 3A.
