Introduction : The risk for recurrence of breast cancer continues over 15 years. So, adjuvant therapy and follow up examination
in breast cancer are very important after surgery. We investigated current practice of post operative follow up management
for breast cancer after curative resection through nationwide survey in Korea. Method : From December 2008 to February 2009,
a questionnaire was sent out to 307 members of Korean Breast Cancer Society (KBCS). A questionnaire was composed of cover
letter, general information and main questionnaire about follow-up schedules and contents. Results : 21.2% (65/307) of the
members of the KBCS returned the survey. Most common responders described that subject of follow up was department of
surgery with or without adjuvant chemotherapy. Reference guidelines for decision of adjuvant therapy were similar in distribution
among NCCN, ASCO and KBCS guidelines. Most common follow up schedule was every 6months exam for first 5 years
after primary surgery and then annually exam. Mammogram, sonogram, bone scan were tend to consider essentially and PET
CT, MRI were considered alternatively. CA15-3, CEA and some of blood chemistry were also essential orders in most responders.
Conclusions : It seems that clinicians treating breast cancer in Korea showed some different trend with international guidelines.
Therefore, a multicenter randomized trial is needed to confirm the different modality for follow up and our results could
give an aid to design such study..
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