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Characteristics of Breast Cancer Patients Who Refuse Surgery.

Authors :: Restrepo DJ
Sisti A
Boczar D
Huayllani MT
Fishe J
Gabriel E
McLaughlin SA
Bagaria S
Spaulding A
Rinker BD
Forte AJ
Source :: Anticancer research [Anticancer Res] 2019 Sep; Vol. 39 (9), pp. 4941-4945.
Publication Year :: 2019
Abstract: Aim: This study describes the demographic, socioeconomic, and tumor-specific characteristics of patients who refuse breast cancer surgery.<br />Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study of breast cancer patients from 2004-2015 captured by the National Cancer Data Base. Demographic, socioeconomic, and tumor-specific predictors were compared between patients who refused breast cancer surgery versus those who agreed to surgery, using bivariate and multivariate models.<br />Results: A total of 2,445,870 patients met the inclusion criteria. On multivariate analysis, black and Asian patients had higher odds of refusing surgical treatment compared to whites (OR=2.16, CI=2.05-2.28, p<0.001), (OR=1.58, CI=1.41-1.76, p<0.001), respectively. Moreover, patients with government insurance (OR=1.97, CI=1.86-2.09, p<0.001) and uninsured patients (OR=3.91, CI=3.50-4.36, p<0.001) were found to have higher odds of surgical treatment refusal when compared to patients with private insurance.<br />Conclusion: Specific demographic and disease-specific characteristics are related to refusing potentially life-saving breast cancer surgery.<br /> (Copyright© 2019, International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. George J. Delinasios), All rights reserved.)