Carcinoma of the breast in a community hospital: who makes the diagnosis?

A review of 300 cases of breast cancer in a community hospital was undertaken to document who made the initial discovery of the breast lesion. In this series, the woman discovered her own cancer in 75% of the cases. Obstetrician-gynecologists, who made up only 8% of the medical staff, discovered almost one third of the primary lesions that were first noticed by physicians. Obstetrician-gynecologists were the first physicians consulted by 20% of the women who discovered their own breast lesions. Preoperative xeromammography was performed on 58% of the patients with breast cancer, and there was a false negative report in 21% of these patients.