Should Your Doctors Talk to Each Other?

Are you a survivor, and are you getting the proper follow-up care? If your primary care physician and your oncologist are communicating with each other, then the answer is most likely “yes.” In the March 15 issue of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, the Medical College of Wisconsin Center for Patient Care and Outcomes Research in Milwaukee published a study on this topic. They reported that when older breast cancer survivors whose family doctor and oncologist talked to each other, those patients had higher mammography rates in their first three follow-up years.

Unfortunately, the patients who had the lowest rates of follow-up mammography were also the patients who were at highest risk for their cancer returning. Breast cancer patients who had undergone breast-conserving surgery (such as lumpectomy) without radiation, and those who had Type II disease did not always receive annual mammograms after the treatment. You can ask your family doctor for an annual mammogram – being proactive about your health care is a good way to reduce your risk.

Read about more ways to reduce your risk of breast cancer.