Culture and breast cancer surgical decisions and experiences

Breast cancer incidence is consistently lower in culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) compared to Caucasian women.1 Incidence of early (localized) breast cancer in CALD women, however, is rising due to lifestyle changes associated with migration and improved breast screening uptake.1 For early breast cancer treatment, both breast conservation therapy (BCT), consisting of lumpectomy and adjuvant radiotherapy, and mastectomy offer similar overall survival rates.1 Mastectomy uptake, however, has been increasing among BCT-eligible CALD women1 irrespective of tumor pathology.2-4 Patient culture and associated beliefs pertaining to breasts, femininity and health, have been suggested as contributing factors3,4 though these remain under-explored. This is highly pertinent in westernized countries, like Australia; however, current research exploring these issues predominantly involves African-American and Hispanic women within America's privatized health system. This study therefore aimed to explore CALD women's perceptions of breast cancer surgery in Australia to better understand the extent of cultural influences upon their decision-making and post-treatment experiences.