Older and younger women have similar outcomes after breast reconstruction

Many, but not all, women who have mastectomy to treat breast cancer go on to have one or both breasts reconstructed. More than 40% of new breast cancer diagnoses are in women older than 60. Because many people think older women are not good candidates for reconstruction, researchers wondered if older women had more complications after breast reconstruction or got different benefits from the procedure than younger women.

However, a study suggests that older and younger women benefit equally from breast reconstruction and that age shouldn’t disqualify a woman from having reconstruction.

"Surgeons and patients may have preconceived notions that breast reconstruction is not as good an option in older women as it is in younger patients," said IHPI member, Edwin Wilkins, professor of surgery at U-M, who was the study’s principal author. "According to findings from this study, reconstruction provided the benefits it was expected to provide for quality of life and body image, and age did not significantly affect complications."