Breast-Conserving Treatments On the Rise

Posted by Rheta Mankin on July 31st, 2015

While the propensity for doctors and patients once was to rush into radical mastectomies when breast cancer was diagnosed, this is starting to change. As more clinicians and the patients they treat learn the value of breast-conserving procedures when they are indicated, this option is being selected more and more researchers are finding.

Breast-conserving treatments, such as the lumpectomy, are only now witnessing a small rise in popularity. A new study on the topic out of the Anderson Cancer Center in Houston shows that a steady increase is being witnessed. This type of surgery is often, but not always, indicated when cancer is caught in its early stages. For the study, researchers looked at treatments for early-stage breast cancer cases between the years of 1998 and 2011. All told, about 727,900 cases were reviewed.

The investigators found that breast-conserving therapies were much more common in women between the ages of 52 and 61 than those older or younger. They also found that women with a higher educational level were more likely to choose this option. Private insurance also seemed to play a role with those in lower-income categories being more likely to undergo more invasive procedures. When the numbers were crunched, however, researchers found that only 54.3 percent of eligible women chose breast conserving options in 1998. By 2011, the number rose to 60.1 percent.

Breast-conserving treatments, it is thought, will continue to rise in popularity as women become better informed about this option’s safety and effectiveness. This is especially so when cancer is detected early and lumpectomies have a higher likelihood of being successful.

Women who are concerned about breast cancer are urged to discuss the condition with their healthcare providers. Submitting to routine examinations is critical for enabling the early detection and early treatment of this disease. For some, breast-conserving therapy may prove to be a very viable option.

About Author

North Texas Cancer Center at Wise, a division of Choice Cancer Care, is now operating as the Cancer Center at Wise Regional and is one of the most renowned cancer treatment centers in Texas.