Lumpectomy vs mastectomy. The costs of breast preservation for cancer

Current data on the surgical management of breast carcinoma support the selective use of conservative surgery, ie, lumpectomy, axillary sampling, plus irradiation, rather than modified radical mastectomy. An economic comparison of these two forms of surgical therapy was conducted. Total charges for treatment (hospital and physician) of 79 patients with stage I or II breast cancer at our hospital during 1983 and 1984 utilizing either therapy demonstrated that mean total charges per patient for lumpectomy (N = 49) were $14,176 +/- $4262, and for mastectomy (N = 30) were $10,345 +/- $3134. Although hospital inpatient fees were significantly less for lumpectomy ($5741) than for mastectomy ($7328), mean total physician fees were significantly higher for lumpectomy ($4505). Radiotherapist fees and the substantial radiation therapy hospital outpatient charge for lumpectomy ($5015) made the mean total charges for lumpectomy significantly higher than for mastectomy.