Cancers found at breast screening: is the radiologist giving the surgeon all the information he needs in the referral letter?

In our breast unit cancers detected at screening are assessed by the radiologist. A standard referral letter is then written to the breast surgeon, copied to the GP. This letter, in addition to being of use to the surgeon, is also a helpful record for the radiologist when the patient returns for localisation. It also may contain useful medical and social information. An audit of the referral letters was undertaken by the surgeons and radiologists to see if all the required information was present and if the surgeon required further details.