Study Findings on Cancer Reported by a Researcher at Community Memorial Hospital (Barriers to Post-Mastectomy Breast Reconstruction: A Comprehensive Retrospective Study): Cancer

2026 JUN 26 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Investigators discuss new findings in cancer. According to news reporting from Ventura, California, by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “Breast reconstruction following mastectomy improves quality of life and psychosocial outcomes, yet it is not consistently performed despite multiple federal mandates. Current data shows decreased reconstruction in minority races, those with a low socioeconomic status, and those holding public health insurance. Many barriers remain misunderstood or unstudied.”

The news editors obtained a quote from the research from Community Memorial Hospital: “This study examines barriers to post-mastectomy breast reconstruction to promote a supportive clinical climate by addressing multifactorial obstacles to equitable access to care. The California Cancer Registry Data Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and California Health and Human Services Agency Cancer Surgeries Database (2013-2021 and 2000-2021, respectively) were used in this retrospective observational study on mastectomy with immediate breast reconstruction (IBR), delayed breast reconstruction (DBR), or mastectomy only (MO) rates. Data were collected on age, sex, race, insurance type, hospital type, socioeconomic status, and residence. Pearson’s chi-square analysis was performed. We found that 168,494 mastectomy and reconstruction surgeries were performed (82.36% MO, 7% IBR, 10.6% DBR). The 40-49 age group received significantly less MO (38.1%) compared to the 70-74 age group (94.8%, (p = <0.001). Significantly more reconstruction was carried out in patients with private, HMO, or PPO insurance (IBR 75.86%, DBR 75.32%, p = <0.001). Almost all breast surgeries were in urban areas as opposed to rural/isolated rural areas (96.02% vs. 1.55%, p = <0.001). There was no significant difference between races. Of all surgeries, 7.46% were completed in a cancer center with significantly higher rates of IBR. LA County, San Luis Obispo/Ventura County, and Northern CA had significantly more MO than other regions (p = <0.001).”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Reconstruction rates after mastectomy are low, with only 17.64% of patients undergoing reconstruction. Nationally, 70.5% of patients received MO, with 29.6% undergoing reconstruction. Significant factors positively contributing to reconstruction were private insurance, high SES, cancer center care, and urban residency. Identified barriers include public health insurance enrollment, rural or non-urban residence, older age, low SES, and non-white race/ethnicity, indicating potential monetary influences on care.”

For more information on this research see: Barriers to Post-Mastectomy Breast Reconstruction: A Comprehensive Retrospective Study. Cancers, 2025,17(12). (Cancers - http://www.mdpi.com/journal/cancers/). The publisher for Cancers is MDPI AG.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers17122002.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Kella L. Vangsness, Community Memorial Hospital System, Ventura, CA 93036, United States. Additional authors for this research include Ronald M. Cornely, Andre-Philippe Sam, Naikhoba C. O. Munabi, Michael Chu, Mouchammed Agko, Jeff Chang, Antoine L. Carre.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)