ABS ePoster Library

Introduction:
Best practice guidelines recommend that all patients referred to breast clinics should be seen within two weeks. The objective of this study was to assess referral patterns and compare the clinical findings between primary and secondary care.
Materials:
A retrospective study was carried out over a two month period from October 2015. The indications for referral, investigations and outcome data were collected from clinical information system.
Results:
Out of 700 patients with breast symptoms, 40% aged 50 or above. Only 31% were referred as suspected cancer. Breast lump was the most common reason for referral (54%), followed by nodularity (26%), breast pain (10%), nipple changes (4%), nipple discharge (3%), suspected infection (2%) and abnormal imaging (1%).
The clinical findings between primary and secondary care were concordant in 48 percent. In the group referred as suspected cancer (31%), 10% had malignant disease. Malignancy was found in 0.8% of the non-urgent referrals.
Eighty five percent patients were discharged, of which 14% did not require any investigations. Five percent needed a follow- up in 6 to 8 weeks. One percent were offered surgery for benign disease and 14% had carcinoma.
Conclusion :
The study suggests that although concordance between primary and secondary care is low, the cancer pick up rates from suspected cancer referrals from primary care are significant. New guidelines may be necessary as cancer yield from non-urgent cases is small.