Abstract PD08-04: Factors which affect surgical management in an underinsured, county hospital population
Authors: Komenaka IK , Olsen L , Klemens AE , Hsu C-H , Nodora J , Martinez ME , Thompson PA , Bouton M 
Published: August 2014

Background: Significant variation exists between institutions in the use of lumpectomy, mastectomy, and reconstruction. Much less is known about minorities and populations outside the large academic institutions. The current study was performed to evaluate variables that affect patient choice in surgical management in a county hospital population.

Methods: A retrospective review of all patients seen at the county, safety net institution with breast cancer from January 2010 to May 2012. Sociodemographic, clinical, and treatment variables were evaluated. Univariate analysis was performed to identify variables which were associated with type of operation. All of the variables with a p-value &lt;0.10 were included in the multivariate analysis.

Results: 403 patients were seen with mean age 53 years. 92% of the patients were insured with Medicaid or uninsured and 29% were non-Hispanic White. Only 20% of patients underwent screening mammography and therefore presentation with palpable, Stage 2A/B cancer was most common (46%). 54 patients presented with T4 tumors and 13 (24%) were found to have metastases. Only 2 of 340 (0.6%) patients who presented at Stage 3A or earlier presented with metastatic disease. Patients with operable cancer underwent lumpectomy in 65%, mastectomy in 26%, and 9% mastectomy with reconstruction. With respect to breast conservation vs mastectomy, in adjusted analysis, married patients (OR 2.59, p = 0.003) and patients with larger tumors (p = 0.003) were more likely to undergo mastectomy, while patients who were Hispanic (OR 0.38, p = 0.004), underwent preoperative chemotherapy (OR 0.25, p = 0.002), or had their operation by breast surgical oncologist (OR 0.30, p = 0.005) were more likely to undergo breast conservation. When patients who underwent mastectomy alone were compared to those who underwent reconstruction, unadjusted analysis suggested that reconstruction patients were more likely to speak English, have adequate health literacy (HL), lower clinical stage, and be seen by a breast surgical oncologist. Adjusted analysis demonstrated that having been seen by a breast surgical oncologist (OR 18.4, p = 0.007), younger age (p = 0.05) and adequate HL (OR 3.13, p = 0.06) were associated with likelihood of reconstruction compared to mastectomy alone.

Conclusions: Breast conservation and mastectomy with reconstruction can be achieved in a significant proportion (74%) of underscreened and underinsured patients. Patients who underwent preoperative chemotherapy were more likely to undergo breast conservation. Younger patients and patients with adequate HL were more likely to choose reconstruction after mastectomy. Patients treated by breast surgical oncologists were more likely to have breast conservation or mastectomy with reconstruction. Even in an underscreened population, presentation with metastatic disease is uncommon in patients with operable breast cancer.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr PD08-04.