Breast Reconstruction After Breast Cancer Surgery

[Most Don't Rebuild Breast After Cancer. Rates of Reconstructive Surgery Vary Greatly Among Ethnic Groups and Regions].

Less than one out of five American women who have mastectomies also have breast reconstruction surgery, but cost does not seem to be the only thing driving the decision, new research suggests.

A review of breast reconstruction practices in the U.S. found that reconstruction rates overall have not increased since 1999 -- the year legislation was enacted mandating insurance coverage for the surgery.

Figures from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show a 22% decline in breast reconstruction procedures between 2000 and 2004.

Despite the law, researchers concluded that reconstruction practices after mastectomy still vary greatly from region to region and among different racial and ethnic groups.

White women continued to have the highest rates of breast reconstruction after mastectomy. Blacks, Asians and Hispanics were only about half as likely to have the surgery.

And women living in Atlanta -- where the reconstruction rates were highest of any region studied -- were more than seven times more likely to have the surgery than women living in Alaska, where rates were lowest.

Read more about the The Journal of the American Medical Association recent report at "Breast Reconstruction After Breast Cancer Surgery"