The added benefit of digital breast tomosynthesis in second breast cancer detection among treated breast cancer patients

Abstract Objectives We aimed to compare the recall rate (RR) and the cancer detection rate (CDR) of combined full field digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis (FFDM + DBT) to those of full field digital mammography (FFDM) alone in breast cancer survivors. Methods We enrolled 146 female breast cancer survivors schedule. All patients underwent FFDM and DBT in the same setting. Results of FFDM alone were compared to those of FFDM + DBT regarding patients' RR and CDR. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive values were also calculated for FFDM alone and for FFDM + DBT in detecting breast cancer lesions. Results Our results showed that FFDM + DBT decreased patients' RR by 3.4% and increased the CDR by 4.1%. Reduction in RR was evident in higher breast densities. FFDM mammography had 18 false negative lesions and 29 false positives. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, NPV and PPV in detecting breast lesions were: 84.2%, 53.1%, 64.0%, 86.7% and 48.9% for FFDM compared to 100%, 92.1%, 95.3%, 100% and 89.7% for FFDM + DBT. Conclusion Combined FFDM + DBT in the post breast cancer surveillance regimen has shown to reduce the patients' RR and to increase the CDR. FFDM + DBT had higher diagnostic accuracy than FFDM alone. FFDM + DBT ought to be a standard combination in the breast cancer surveillance in treated patients.