Second opinions can change the diagnosis for almost half of breast cancer patients -- suggesting that it's worthwhile for women to pursue the additional input, according to a study published in the October issue of the Annals of Surgical Oncology.
A team led by Dr. Denise Garcia from the Medical University of South Carolina analyzed reports from 70 patients diagnosed with breast cancer at outside institutions who sought second opinions between August 2015 and March 2016. The researchers compared the other institutions' radiology, pathology, and genetic testing reports with reports generated by its own multidisciplinary tumor board review (Ann Surg Oncol, October 2018, Vol. 25:10, pp. 2953-2957).
Garcia and colleagues found that 30 (43%) of the 70 patients had a change in diagnosis as a result of the Medical University of South Carolina tumor board review. The review identified new cancers in 16 patients (23%); for 14 (20%) of the 70 patients, it led to a change in pathology interpretation.
"The study findings support the conclusion that referral for a second opinion is beneficial and has a diagnostic impact for many patients," they concluded.
