Unveiling perceptions regarding post mastectomy breast reconstruction: A questionnaire-based survey of patients from central India.

Introduction: Post mastectomy breast reconstruction uptake remains low in the developing countries. We examined patient perspectives about it in a cohort of Indian breast cancer patients.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted at a tertiary care center in central India. All post mastectomy patients for breast cancer were interviewed via a survey questionnaire to assess their perspective regarding post mastectomy breast reconstruction.

Results: None of the 192 patients underwent immediate or delayed reconstruction by the end of 24 months follow-up. Age, education level, occupation and marital status did not affect the uptake of post mastectomy breast reconstruction. The most common patient-reported reasons for not having reconstruction were the desire to avoid additional surgery and the belief that it was not important (80% for each). System related factors such as additional cost of surgery and additional length of stay were reported to be important by 55% and 65% patients respectively.

Conclusion: Our survey of 192 post mastectomy breast cancer patients showed that none opted for post mastectomy reconstruction, suggesting significant barriers to it. Understanding and addressing these barriers are crucial to ensuring comprehensive care for these breast cancer patients.