Only a small percentage of women in the country have breast reconstruction surgery after a mastectomy. A survey of Wisconsin surgeons examined the attitudes and biases which may affect breast cancer patients.
A third of respondents do not routinely refer eligible patients to further discuss having an implant or other reconstruction after breast cancer. However, the study published in the Wisconsin Medical Journal says a referral was more likely to be made if a woman expressed concerns about her appearance. (6th item.)
Doctors in the survey said the biggest deciding factor for them was cancer recurrence and worries that an implant or reconstruction might make it harder to detect. One of the report’s authors, Dr. Heath Stacey from UW Madison, says there’s evidence to the contrary. He also says other factors in the decision to refer vary from where someone lives and how old they are.