BONE SCANNING - ITS LACK OF VALUE IN THE FOLLOW-UP OF PATIENTS WITH BREAST-CANCER

Three hundred and fifty‐four women with primary operable breast cancer had a bone scan performed within 6 weeks of a simple mastectomy. Eight (2·3 per cent) were positive, but 7 of these patients had radiological evidence of bony metastases. Follow‐up bone scans 1 year postoperatively on 278 patients showed only 12 (4·3 per cent) positive, and of these, 9 had other radiological evidence of metastatic disease. At 2 years postoperatively there were 13 (9·2 per cent) positive bone scans amongst 141 patients. Only 2 of these 13 had no other evidence of metastases. Although a bone scan is a useful investigation in patients with bone pain, there is no place for routine bone scanning in either the staging or follow‐up of women with operable breast cancer. Copyright © 1979 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd.