Improvement Needed for Mastectomy Outcomes Reporting

Extract

Improved standards for outcome reporting in breast reconstruction are needed, according to a review published online December 3rd in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute .

Every year in the United States up to 40% of women with breast cancer undergo a mastectomy. They say the most valuable factor in their decision-making is information from health professionals. However, that information is largely dependent on the quality, reporting, and interpretation of research data on surgical procedures.

To summarize the reporting standards of surgical outcomes in breast reconstruction, Shelley Potter, M.D., of the University of Bristol, and colleagues, reviewed 134 studies reporting surgical outcomes of breast reconstruction involving over 42,000 women. Over half of the studies, or 55%, were cohort studies, 36.6% were case series studies, and 8.2% were randomized controlled trials. Specifically, the researchers looked at prospective or retrospective accrual of data, duration of follow-up, proportion of complications, reporting of total and procedure-specific complications, severity of complications, length of hospital stay and adjustment for risk factors such as smoking or radiotherapy.