New research suggests most breast cancer survivors who undergo a masectomy choose to have reconstructive surgery.
The study suggests this practice has increased over time; 63 percent of patients received reconstructive surgery in 2007 while only 46 percent did in 1998, a University of Michigan Health System news release reported.
"Breast reconstruction has a big impact on quality of life for breast cancer survivors. As we are seeing more women survive breast cancer, we need to focus on long term survivorship issues and ensuring that women have access to this important part of treatment," says study first author Reshma Jagsi, M.D., D.Phil., associate professor of radiation oncology at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.
The researchers looked at medical records to make their findings; they found the number of women who got reconstructive surgery increased over time, but those who received radiation therapy were less likely. Radiation treatment limits the patient's options in terms of reconstructive surgery.
"As a growing number of women are eligible for radiation after mastectomy, we have to be aware that this alters those patients' reconstruction options and outcomes. Patients' and physicians' concerns about how best to integrate reconstruction and radiation may be influencing patient decisions. We need to determine the best approach to reconstruction for women who receive radiation," Jagsi said.
"In appropriately selected patients, radiation saves lives and is generally well tolerated. However, radiation does cause a certain degree of damage to normal tissue which complicates and often delays breast reconstruction. Team-based collaborative care between breast surgeons, plastic surgeons and radiation oncologists is critical to help patients experience good outcomes," senior author Benjamin Smith, M.D., associate professor of radiation oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center said in the news release.
The team also found differences in reconstructive surgery rates based on region, "18 percent in North Dakota, to a high of 80 percent in Washington, D.C," the news release reported.
"Any time we see geographic variations in practice patterns, we worry that care is not being appropriately individualized and that patients are not being offered all their options. It's important to make sure women have all the information they need about breast reconstruction and are aware that it is an option," Jagsi said.
More women are getting artificial breasts than having them reconstructed from tissue in other parts of the body.
"Overall, our finding of substantial increases in breast reconstruction over time is good news for women with breast cancer and reflects positively on cancer care in the United States. However, we need to keep working to ensure that all women have access to quality breast cancer care," Smith says.
