Why do Asian-American women have lower rates of breast conserving surgery: results of a survey regarding physician perceptions

Table 2 Physician perspective on factors determining treatment decisions (N = 80), Greater San Francisco Bay Area, 2005–2006

Physician perspective	% indicating "yes" *
Most important factors for stage I and II patients treated with MRM over last 2 years
Presence of multifocal or multicentric disease	86.2
Tumor size	71.2
Patient's attitude toward preserving the breast	66.2
Breast size	50.0
Age	28.8
Location of tumor	25.0
Patient's ability/willingness to travel to receive adjuvant radiation therapy	22.5
Family history	18.8
Cosmetic result	17.5
Adverse effects/outcome	6.2
Most important factors for stage I and II patients treated with BCT over last 2 years
Patient's attitude toward preserving the breast	87.5
Tumor size	77.5
Cosmetic result	73.8
Breast size	55.0
Patient's ability/willingness to travel to receive adjuvant radiation therapy	38.8
Presence of multifocal or multicentric disease	32.5
Age	30.0
Location of tumor	22.5
Adverse effects/outcome	7.5
Family history	6.2
Reasons why Asian subgroups are more likely to get MRM over BCT
Patient's attitude toward preserving the breast	52.5
Breast size	25.0
Age	11.2
Patient's ability/willingness to travel to receive adjuvant radiation therapy	10.0
Tumor size	8.8
Adverse effects/outcome	8.8
Cosmetic result	7.5
Presence of multifocal or multicentric disease	6.2
Location of tumor	5.0
Family history	2.5
Don't know	17.5
Other	18.8
Cultural factors	6.2
Fear	6.2

ISSN: 1471-2458