Value of breast palpation in gynecologic practice

A representative inquiry was carried out among 100 Austrian gynecologists and obstetricians. Aim of the study was to determine the percentage of gynecologists, who carry out routinely the palpation of the breast in their office: 73% of all gynecologists are performing breast-palpation routinely in every patient, 27% only in case of complaints. The highest percentage of routine-breast-palpation performing gynecologists was found among doctors, who are in private-practice only (97%). Particularly low percentages, however, were found e. g. among doctors, who have contracts with all social insurances (58%), who have a high frequency of social-insured patients (55%) or have many patients per day (61%). Since the routine-breast-palpation is of particular importance for the reduction of breast cancer mortality, this examination should be also performed routinely by all general practitioners, internists and surgeons. Therefore, from the point of view of preventive medicine and public health the routine examination of the female breast should be refunded by social insurance in Austria.