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E-letters: Electronic letters published:
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Follow-up of breast cancer: why we should disharge patients.
- Giovanni Ucci (18 October 2007)
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Giovanni Ucci, Department of Oncology Ospedale di Lecco - I-23900 Lecco ITALY
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Besides cost saving or reducing overcrowding of oncological wards, there is one important additional reason for discouraging a specialist follow-up in early breast cancer outside clinical trials, which is supporting patients in their efforts to return to normal life. Inviting a woman who has successfully completed primary treatment for early breast cancer to enter a specific program of periodic check-up by her oncologist might not help her on the way to feeling cured thus returning with confidence to her everyday duties in her family and society. Every appointment will remind her that cancer can return (which is true) but also that something can be done to prevent this from happening, eventually improving the chance of cure. This view is not supported by any available evidence and therefore not only useless but possibly even detrimental for the patients’ emotional well being. General practitioners are the natural interface between women and the health service before they become breast cancer patients: all efforts should be done on a loco-regional basis to agree adequate cooperative protocols with referring oncologists for integrated follow-up. Furthermore, networks connecting practitioners and oncologists could allow quick verification of clinical suspicions and in the end lead to a rapid referral of patients to the oncology department. All this for the sake of patient well being and not for the benefit of the ministry of finances. Conflict of Interest:None declared |
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