Fw: New study shows reconstruction doesn't improve mental health

[Guest guest]

----- Original Message -----

From: <CPR4WandF@...>

Sent: Sunday, September 24, 2000 12:03 PM

Subject: New study shows reconstruction doesn't improve mental health

Dear Friends,

Here is a press release from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute,

describing a new study. The results show that women with reconstruction

after mastectomy are not less depressed or more satisfied than women with

mastectomy without reconstruction. In fact, the women with reconstruction

are less satisfied with their sex lives.

These findings are inconsistent with the claims of implant manufacturers and

plastic surgeons, who have stated to the FDA and to patients that implants

will make mastectomy patients " feel whole again. "

We will include information about this new study on our website, and will

provide more details about the type of reconstruction as soon as I can.

Best wishes,

Zuckerman

Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 92, No. 17, 1365, September

6,

2000

© 2000 Oxford University Press

MEMORANDUM FOR: Science Writers and Editors on the Journal Press List

Type of Breast Cancer Surgery Has Little Impact on Quality of Life

August 31, 2000 (EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE 4 P.M. EDT September 5)

Arnold, Deputy News Editor, Dan Eckstein, (301) 986-1891, ext. 112

A new study reports that women whose breast cancer was treated by mastectomy

or mastectomy with reconstruction complained of more physical symptoms after

surgery than women treated by lumpectomy, but the groups did not differ in

their self-assessments of emotional, social, or role functioning.

Study leader Rowland, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute, and

colleagues, present their results in the Sept. 6 issue of the Journal of the

National Cancer Institute. They conclude that a woman’s quality of life

after

breast cancer surgery is more likely influenced by her age or exposure to

adjuvant therapy than what type of surgery she had. However, women who had

reconstructive surgery after mastectomy were most likely to report that

treatment had a negative impact on their sex lives (45.4% versus 29.8% for

lumpectomy and 41.3% for mastectomy alone).

The study involved detailed surveys of breast cancer survivors in Los

Angeles, Calif., and Washington, D.C. Women who had been diagnosed with

breast cancer from 1 to 5 years before study entry were identified through a

variety of mechanisms, including local tumor registries, physician

practices,

and treatment clinic logs or charts. More than 6000 breast cancer survivors

were invited to participate in the study, about 60% responded to the

invitation, and a total of 1957 women completed questionnaires. The

questionnaire included a number of standardized measures of health-related

quality of life, body image, and physical and sexual functioning.

More than one half (57%) of the women who completed the survey underwent

lumpectomy, 26% had mastectomy alone, and 17% had mastectomy with

reconstruction. Women in the mastectomy with reconstruction group were

younger than those in the lumpectomy or mastectomy-alone groups (mean ages =

50.3, 55.9, and 58.9, respectively); they were also more likely to have a

partner and to be college educated, affluent, and white. Reconstructive

surgery was of less benefit to body image than anticipated, since scores on

the body-image scale for the mastectomy with reconstruction group were

closer

to those for the mastectomy-alone group than scores for the lumpectomy

group.

As expected, women in the lumpectomy group reported fewer problems with

their

body image and feelings of sexual attractiveness than women in either the

mastectomy with reconstruction or the mastectomy-alone groups.

Mastectomy patients, with or without reconstruction, experienced more

physical symptoms and more discomfort around the surgical site than women

who

had a lumpectomy. These symptoms included the sensation of pins and needles

(reported as often in 13% of mastectomy-alone women) and numbness (a common

problem for 52% of the women who underwent breast reconstruction). Almost

twice as many mastectomy-alone (46.6%), as lumpectomy (24.0%), or mastectomy

with reconstruction (25.8%) group members reported problems with arm

swelling.

The authors conclude that studies such as theirs can provide a benchmark

against which to measure progress toward improving not only women’s survival

from breast cancer but also their quality of life after breast cancer.

Contact: NCI Press Office, (301) 496-6641. (Note: The media contact for this

paper is the NCI Press Office because the author is on the NCI staff.)

Note: This memo to reporters is from the Journal staff and is not an

official

release of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) or Oxford University Press

(OUP) nor does it reflect NCI or OUP policy. In addition, unless otherwise

stated, all articles and items published in the Journal reflect the

individual views of the authors and not necessarily the official points of

view held by NCI, any other component of the U.S. government, OUP, or the

organizations with which the authors are affiliated. Neither NCI nor any

other component of the U.S. government nor OUP assumes any responsibility

for

the completeness of the articles or other items or the accuracy of the

conclusions reached therein.

-----------

Zuckerman, Ph.D.

Executive Director

National Center for Policy Research for Women and Families

1444 Eye Street, NW

Suite 900

Washington, DC 20005

202 216-9507