Factors Associated with Reconstruction in Patients Undergoing Mastectomy

Postmastectomy reconstruction has been shown to be oncologically safe, but few studies have investigated factors influencing the type of reconstruction chosen, if at all. Records of female patients with stages 0 to 3 breast cancer undergoing mastectomy at a large academic institution between January 2010 and March 2018 were reviewed. Nine hundred sixty patients were included in this cohort; 784 patients had reconstruction. Younger age, earlier disease stage, private insurance, no history of diabetes, and bilateral mastectomy (BM) were associated with reconstruction. On multivariate analysis, younger age, BM, private insurance, and earlier disease stage predicted reconstruction. Of reconstruction patients, 453 had implants. Race, BMI, and later disease stage influenced the type of reconstruction; on multivariate analysis, higher BMI and later disease stage predicted flap reconstruction. Younger age, BM, private insurance, and earlier disease stage were associated with reconstruction, but the type of reconstruction was affected primarily by BMI and disease stage.