Table 2 Characteristics of studies included in methods of detection meta-analysis
Study | Year | Patient group | Relapses included | Inclusion period | Age | Primary therapy | Study design | Follow-up schedule | Mammograms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mahoney et al | 1986 | 273 treated patients | 52 locoregional relapses. All ipsilateral breast | All patients treated by lumpectomy between July 1972 and October 1983. All relapses from July 1972 to December 1983 analysed. | Not given | Lumpectomy | Prospective cohort study of the use of thermography | Three monthly for 1 year, four monthly for 1 year, six monthly for 3 years then annual | Biennial |
Tate et al | 1989 | 510 patients previously treated for early breast cancer attending a follow-up review during the inclusion period. | 27 locoregional relapses. Ipsilateral breast (12), Ipsilateral axilla (12) and contralateral breast (3) | 6-month period (unspecified) neither original operation dates nor date of relapses specified | At follow-up: mean 65 for interval attenders, 60 for symptomatic routine and 63 for asymptomatic routine | Not specified | Non randomised, non controlled prospective cohort | Two monthly for 1 year, three monthly for 1 year, four monthly for 1 year six monthly for 2 years then annual until 10 years | Not specified |
Rutgers et al | 1991 | 44 patients with locoregional relapse presenting between 1982 and 1990 | 44 locoregional relapses All ipsilateral breast | All locoregional relapses diagnosed between 1982 and 1990 from a cohort of all patients treated between 1978 and 1990 | mean 47.1 (range: 26–68) | Lumpectomy and axillary dissection | Non randomised, non controlled retrospective cohort | Three monthly for 2 years, six monthly up to 5 years then annual | Annual |
Snee | 1994 | All 33 patients referred to regional centre for adjuvant treatment. | 5 locoregional relapses chest wall (3) and axilla (2) | All referrals: jan-feb 1982. Noinformation given on original operation date or period of follow-up scrutinised. | At referral: mean 57 (range=34–78) | Mastectomy | Non randomised, non controlled, prospective cross-sectional | not detailed, mean of two visits each per year. | Not specified |
Hussain et al | 1995 | 354 treated patients | 33 locoregional relapses. Ipsilateral breast (24), Ipsilateral axilla (3) ipsilateral breast and axilla (6). Did not include new contralateral disease | All patients treated between October 1980 and December 1991. Date of analysis not given | Not given | WLE+radiotherapy+at least axillary sample | Non randomised, non controlled retrospective cohort | 3 monthly for 2 years, 6 monthly for 3 years then annual until 10 years | 6 months then annual |
Grunfeld et al | 1996 | 296 patients randomised to GP vs hospital follow-up. | 7 locoregional relapses ipsilateral breast/chest wall (5) and ipsilateral axilla (2) | All patients treated between 1988 and 1992 were randomised to the trial at the end of this period and followed for 18 months from that point | GP follow-up mean 55.6. Hospital follow-up mean 59 | 153 mastectomy and 138 WLE | prospective randomised comparison of GP v hospital follow-up | three monthly for 1 year and 6 monthly for four in one group, 3, 4 and 6 monthly years 1, 2 and 3 for the other then annual both groups. | Year one then every 1 to 3 years |
Lees et al | 1997 | A selected group of 458 treated patients. Selection criteria not given | 83 locoregional relapses. All ipsilateral breast | All patients were treated between 1980 and 1985. Follow-up complete until December 1991 | Not given | Mastectomy or conservation surgery | Non randomised, non controlled retrospective cohort | three monthly for 2 years then 6 monthly to 5 years then annual | Annual |
Jack et al | 1998 | 341 treated patients | 39 locoregional relapses. Ipsilateral breast (24), ipsilateral axilla (11) and contralateral breast (4) | All patients treated between 1986 and 1990 and followed for 10 years. Date of analysis not given | mean 52.2 (range=24–82) | Wide Local Excision (WLE)+radiotherapy | Non randomised, non controlled retrospective cohort | 3-4 monthly for 3 years, then 6 monthly until 10 years | Annual |
2001 | All 612 patients with early breast cancer referred to regional oncology centre for adjuvant therapy in 1993 | 34 locoregional relapses. 25 in WLE group and 9 in mastectomy group. Ipsilateral breast, axilla or chest wall (not separated, but did not include new contralateral disease) | All referrals received in 1993 for adjuvant therapy were analysed during 1996 | 189 patients <50, 423 patients >50 | 105 mastectomies, 511 conservation, 3 radiotherapy after neo adjuvant chemotherapy. Variable LN dissection | Non randomised, non controlled retrospective cohort | 3 to 4 monthly for 2–3 years, 6 monthly to 5 years then annual | Less than annual, according to clinician preference | |
Grogan et al | 2002 | 104 treated patients. | 4 salvageable locoregional relapses. Ipsilateral breast (3), Ipsilateral axilla (1) and contralateral breast (0) | Patients treated between January 1988 and June 1991. Follow-up was for 5 years from end of treatment in all patients | Mean 53 (range=28–81) | WLE+radiotherapy | Non randomised, non controlled retrospective cohort | 3 monthly for 2 years, 4 monthly for 1 year, 6 monthly thereafter | Annual |
van der Sangen et al | 2006 | 3280 treated patients. All patients from cohort with locoregional relapse > 5 years after original procedure | 102 relapses. All ipsilateral breast | All patients treated between 1982 and 1997. All relapses were between 31 October 1988 and 15 March 2003 | Mean 51 (range=32–85) | WLE+radiotherapy | Non randomised, non controlled retrospective cohort | 3 monthly for 2 years, 6 monthly for 3 years then annual | Annual (referenced) |
Montgomery et al | 2007 | 1312 treated patients | 110 locoregional relapses ipsilateral breast (45), Ipsilateral Axilla (25), ipsilateral breast and axilla (3), Bilateral breast (1), Bilateral breasts and axilla (1) and contralateral breast (35) | All patients treated between 1991 and 1998. follow-up complete until January 2006 | 54 (range=24–83) | WLE and either sample or clearance of axilla | Non randomised, non-controlled retrospective cohort | Three to four monthly for 3 years, six monthly to 5 years then annual. Annual for all patients from 2000 onwards | Annual |
