Purpose: Analysis of mastectomy rates in breast cancer patients diagnosed between 2006 and 2010 in Germany with focus on impact of breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), immediate breast reconstruction (IBR) rates, and hospital volume as possible influencing factors of mastectomy rates.
Methods: Data of a voluntary monitored benchmarking project were used to evaluate mastectomy trends across time in an unselected cohort of breast cancer patients. We used univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis to identify predictive factors of mastectomy.
Results: A total of 142.863 cases were included into the analysis. There was an overall decrease of 5.9% (95% confidence interval 5.1-6.7) in mastectomy trend from 36.5% in 2006 to 30.6% in 2010 (P < 0.0001). Known predictive factors were confirmed. Breast MRI (odds ratio 1.42, 95% confidence interval 1.36-1.47) and small hospitals (<150 cases per year) seem to favor mastectomy. IBR was not associated with mastectomy rates.
Conclusions: Mastectomy rates in comparable health systems differ. Performance of preoperative breast MRI and hospital volume seem to be independent influencing factors for mastectomy rates.