Study: Breast Removal And Reconstruction Is More Risky, Costly

Mastectomy plus reconstruction in early-stage breast cancer patients, on the rise in the United States in the last decade, is significantly riskier and costlier than lumpectomy plus radiation, according to a new study. MD Anderson Cancer Center researchers reported on Tuesday that data from more than 100,000 such patients show those who had surgery to remove all breast tissue and then rebuild the breast were almost twice as likely to suffer complications than those who had surgery to excise only the abnormal tissue, then radiation. The study, published Tuesday in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is the first to break down the complication rates and costs for breast cancer treatment options.