THE EVALUATION OF METACHRONOUS BREAST CANCER PATIENTS

OBJECTIVE: The incidence of bilateral breast cancer has shown the range from 2% to as high 11%. Breast cancer patients should follow up against the other side breast cancer risk. METHODS: Medical records of patients who were treated for breast cancer were reviewed during a 5 years period of March 2000 to April 2006. Data of patients found to have bilateral breast cancer (BBC) was analyzed focusing on the demographic information, family history, menstrual status, surgical therapy, staging and histopathological characteristics. RESULTS: Of patients 215 treated for breast cancer 19 (8, 8%) revealed metachronous BBC. The median age was 57, 7 (ranges, 36-77) years. For patients with metachronous breast carcinomas, the median interval between the fi rst and second diagnosis was 8 (ranges, 3-15) years. Six patients with metachronous of them (31,5%) were in postmenopousal, and 13 of them (68, 5%) in premenopousal status. One of metachronous patient revealed positive family history. For metachronous patients, 5, 4, 3, 4 and 3 having stages I, IIA, IIB, IIIA, and IV disease, respectively. The most common type of breast cancer recorded was invasive ductal carcinoma. CONCLUSION: The incidence of BBC reported in this series is similar to the published data. Patients should be evaluated the risk of BBC carefully at the time of diagnosis and during follow up.