Breast self-examination and adherence to mammographic follow-up: an intriguing diptych after benign breast biopsy.

This study evaluates the effect of palpability upon breast self-examination (BSE) and adherence to annual mammogram after benign breast biopsy (BBB). Seven hundred and fifty-two women with palpable (WP, n = 359) or nonpalpable (WNP, n = 393) lesions were evaluated 2 years before and after BBB. BSE was considered adequate when it was performed at least once per month, and inadequate when it was performed with a frequency of less than once per month. Prebiopsy/postbiopsy adherence was characterized as inadequate when at least one session of mammographic examination was lost within the 2-prebiopsy/postbiopsy (including the last visit) years, respectively. The prebiopsy frequency of adequate BSE was higher in WP [49 (176 of 359) vs. 38.9% (153 of 393) for WNP; Pearson's chi2 (1) = 7.77, P = 0.005]. However, the opposite happened regarding the prebiopsy adherence to mammogram, as the frequency of adequate adherence was 64.1% (252 of 393) in WNP, but only 46.0% (165 of 359) in WP. After BBB, adherence to mammogram significantly increased in both groups, reaching 76.1% (299 of 393) for WNP and 65.2% (234 of 359) for WP. However, BSE increased significantly only in WNP. Regarding the WP group, the postBBB BSE did not exhibit any significant change. Noticeably, the aforementioned increase in BSE among WNP resulted in the disappearance of the initial WP-WNP discrepancy regarding BSE; the postBBB BSE did not differ between WP and WNP. However, concerning adherence to mammogram, the superiority of WNP versus WP persisted (76.1 vs. 65.2%, respectively). In conclusion WP and WNP may perceive BBB differently, as reflected upon the differentially modified patterns.