A eurekalert press release says that women are more likely to choose mastectomy after discussing reconstruction.
Only a third of patients with breast cancer discussed breast reconstruction options with their surgeon before their initial surgery, according to a new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
What’s more, women who did discuss reconstruction up front were four times more likely to have a mastectomy compared to those women who did not discuss reconstruction.
“The surgical decision making for breast cancer is really centered on patient preference. Long-term outcomes are the same regardless of whether a woman is treated with a lumpectomy or a mastectomy. But that choice could have significant impact on a woman’s quality of life, sexuality and body image. It’s important for women to understand all of their surgical options – including breast reconstruction – so they can make the best choice for themselves,†said study author Amy Alderman, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of plastic surgery at the U-M Medical School.