Cancer surgeries avoidable

Photo: Google images

The number of breast cancer patients in Canada who face more than one operation is too high, affecting their health and their wallets, according to UBCO research.

Researchers have examined the health care costs associated with lumpectomy patients requiring re-operations. 

A lumpectomy, known as a breast conservation surgery (BCS), is a procedure to get rid of tumors and aims to save breast tissue. It is followed by radiation therapy.

The recent study showed that with Canadian re-operation rates being more than double recommended targets, the additional cost to B.C.’s health care system alone was $2 million per year.

One of the issues is the lack of clinical guidelines, targets and report cards provided to the surgeons, said study author Chris Baliski, a clinical assistant professor at UBC and surgical oncologist at the BC Cancer Agency in Kelowna.

“In Canada, 23 per cent of women require additional procedures, ranging from further BCS’ to full mastectomies and breast reconstruction,” said Baliski. “With re-operation rates varying widely between surgeons, it would be interesting to see if a systematic focus on health quality and improvement could minimize the number of surgeries being performed.”

Having to re-operate, Baliski said, makes a positive cosmetic outcome harder to achieve and can lead to continued stress and anxiety for patients and their families.