AHRQ: Mastectomies up 36% since 2005

While breast cancer rates have remained constant, the rate of women undergoing mastectomies increased 36% between 2005 and 2013, including a more than tripling of double mastectomies, according to a new report by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The overall rate of mastectomies rose to 90 per 100,000 women over the period, while the rate of double mastectomies rose to 30 per 100,000 women. The rate of cancer-free women choosing double mastectomies more than doubled over the period to more than 4 per 100,000 women. “More women are opting for mastectomies, particularly preventive double mastectomies, and more of those surgeries are being done as outpatient procedures,” said AHRQ Director Rick Kronick. The findings are based on hospital inpatient and outpatient surgery data from 13 states in the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project.