After special training a nurse practitioner ran an independent clinic for follow-up patients with breast disease. All patients referred to a single surgical firm with breast cancer and most patients with benign disease who required follow-up were included.
In the first 2 years of the service 382 clinic visits were recorded (median 5/clinic, range 1–12). The nurse practitioner reviewed 236 (62%) patients alone but involved the consultant surgeon in the remainder. No significant lesion was missed in these patients.
The nurse-led clinic is popular with patients and, subject to careful supervision, offers an attractive option for follow-up of patients with breast disease.
DewarJ.Follow up in breast cancer.BMJ1995; 310: 685–6.
3.
WakefieldSE, PowisSJA. Benign breast surgery: is there a need for outpatient follow-up.Ann R Coll Surg Engl1995; 77: 457–9.
4.
GrunfeldE, MantD, VesseyMP, FitzpatrickR.Specialist and general practice views on routine follow-up of breast cancer patients in general practice.Earn Pract1995; 12: 60–5.
5.
The Breast Surgeons Group of the British Association of Surgical Oncology.Guidelines for surgeons in the management of symptomatic breast disease in the United Kingdom.Eur J Surg Oncol1995; 21(suppl A): 1–13.
6.
GrunfeldE, MantD, YudkinP.Routine follow-up of breast cancer in primary care: randomised trial.BMJ1996; 313: 665–9.
7.
JamesND, GuerreroD, BradaM.Who should follow-up cancer patients? Nurse specialist based outpatient care and the introduction of a phone clinic system.Clin Oncol R Coll Radiol1994; 6: 283–7.
