Factors that are effective in surgery preferences of patients diagnosed with breast cancer who are admitted to radiation oncology clinics

Abstract

OBJECTIVE In this study, the factors affecting the choice of treatment were investigated in patients diagnosed with breast cancer who were treated with breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy. METHODS Factors that may be effective in surgical choice were aimed to be determined by retrospectively examining patient files regarding age, pathological type, diameter and lateralization of the tumor, number of lymph nodes in the axilla, estrogen and progesterone receptor (ER and PR), c-erbB-2 status, the place of residence, center of operation and distribution of patients according to years. The relationships among the data in this study were examined using statistical methods. RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 52.06±11.91 (age range: 28–86). Tumor lateralization was the right side in 44.4% of the patients and the left side in 55.6% of the patients. There were significantly more modified radical mastectomy (MRM) surgeries in the cases with left-sided lateralization and more breastconserving surgeries (BCS) in the patients with right-sided lateralization (p=0.001). Significantly more BCSs were found to be performed when the tumor diameter was less than 2.5 cm, and more MRMs were performed as the nodal stage increased (p=0.000, p<0.001). The patients with positive PR receptors were treated with BCS significantly more frequently (p=0.005). The presence of radiotherapy facilities increased the frequency of BCSs, and the MRM rates were higher in the patients living in rural areas. CONCLUSION We found that the patients with good prognostic characteristics known for breast cancer were more frequently treated with BCSs, whereas the patients with poor prognostic characteristics were more frequently treated with MRMs. We also found that being younger, living in a city, having right-sided lateralization and radiotherapy facilities increased the choice of BCS.