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Evidence and guidelines say don't image, yet oncologists still do


December 10, 2014

Despite multiple evidence-based guidelines recommending against imaging for metastatic disease in patients with early-stage breast cancer, many physicians continue to order such tests. A paper published by Drs. Demetrios Simos, Mark Clemons and Brian Hutton in the Journal of Oncology Practice (JOP) evaluated whether the 2012 ASCO Top Five List, which recommended against imaging for patients with stage 1 or 2 breast cancer, had any impact on requests for imaging. The JOP paper showed none. Broader strategies beyond publication are needed if recommendations are to be implemented into routine clinical practice. The team is currently working to develop more effective ways of getting physicians to change their practices when evidence clearly says they should.

Funders: Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Canadian Association of Medical Oncologists

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