Risk of breast cancer in women treated at a young age for Hodgkin's disease. A proposal of dispensary care
Abstract
The authors review significant literature dealing with the risk of developing breast cancer after radiotherapy (alone or in combination with chemotherapy) for Hodgkin's disease and characterize a group of women under regular control for this disease at the Faculty Hospital Motol. An increased risk of developing breast cancer and the necessity to specially foUow these women should be included in a novel Regulation of Dispensary Care which is presently under preparation.
The women at the age of 29 years and less at the time of treatment should perform self-examination of their breasts once monthly beginning eight years after the therapy. From the same age it would be suitable to perform a clinical examination of the breast once every half-year.
The basic mammogram should be done on year 8 after the therapy and 10 years after the treatment the mammography should be done annually on regular basis. Women who reached 30 or more years of age at the time of therapy should be followed according to the following system: the self-examination beginning with 30 years of age monthly, the clinical examination from the age of 30 annually, mammography from the year 40 to 50 annually and at least once in two years in women over 50 (annually if another important risk factor is present).
Ultrasonography is not a primary method of examination in any of tnese women, while it can be a suitable examination supplementary to mammography.