Study: More Women With Cancer Opting for Breast Conserving Treatment

More women with early stage breast cancer are opting for breast conserving treatment (BCT) rather than mastectomies, according to researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee.

However, despite the increased use of breast conserving surgery by all socio-demographic groups, researchers reported in Medical Care that major variations still persist by age, income, education, and population density.

Older women, women living in poorer counties, women in counties with lower educational levels and women living in less urban areas are less likely to have the breast-sparing surgery, the researchers said.

Researchers studied data on 158,496 U.S. women age 30 and older who were treated for early stage breast cancer between 1983 and 1996. The women lived in the states of Connecticut, Hawaii, Iowa, New Mexico and Utah as well as the cities of Atlanta, Detroit, San Francisco/Oakland, and Seattle/Puget Sound.

"The increased overall adoption of BCT has not led to consistent use of this treatment," Dr. Mary Ann Gilligan, assistant professor of medicine and lead researcher, reported in Medical Care.

"Whether variation in BCT use by different groups is acceptable as a matter of social policy depends on whether the differences in use are motivated by patient preference or forces external to the patient. These differences may be acceptable if patients are choosing from two equally effective treatments based on their life circumstances."

Other Sources: Medical College of Wisconsin