Print
Feb 16, 2006 8:52 pm US/Central
New Breast Cancer Research Defies Convention
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
More than 80 percent of women with breast cancer survive it these days, and most of them go on to see cancer specialists for follow-up care. But is that really necessary? New research suggests that perhaps the family doctor can do the job just as well.
A new study followed 968 women who had been treated for, and had survived, breast cancer. Half of them sought follow-up care from their family practitioner. The other half went to a specialized cancer center.
11.2 percent of the women who saw a family doctor had a recurrence, and 29 died. But even more -- 13.2 percent who went to the specialized cancer center had a recurrence and 30 died.
This was just one study, done in Canada, but doctors I spoke to say it's likely to kick off a big debate in the United States about whether or not we're treating breast cancer survivors and preventing recurrence efficiently and effectively.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
