ANN ARBOR, Mich., Dec. 21 (UPI) -- One-third of patients with breast cancer discuss breast reconstruction options with their surgeons before their initial surgery, a U.S. study found.
Study author Dr. Amy Alderman of the University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor, Mich., also found women who did discuss reconstruction before the surgery were four times more likely to have a mastectomy compared to those women who did not discuss reconstruction.
The study tracked 1,178 women from the Detroit and Los Angeles metropolitan areas who had undergone surgery for breast cancer. Patients were asked three months after diagnosis whether they had discussed breast reconstruction.
The study, published online version in the journal Cancer ahead of the Feb. 1 print edition, found that younger and more educated women were more likely to discuss reconstruction with their surgeon.
"To many women, breast reconstruction is a symbol of hope that they can get past this cancer diagnosis," Alderman said in a statement. "Reconstruction is not necessarily the right option for every woman and not everyone is going to choose reconstruction, but I think it's important that every woman is informed of what the benefits of reconstruction can be for their physical and emotional well being."