Many of the women newly diagnosed with breast cancer not have access to all the information they need to make the surgical and treatment choices that are most appropriate for them. Research clearly shows that lumpectomy and other breast-conserving surgeries are just as safe as mastectomy for most women with early stage disease, and yet approximately half will undergo the more disfiguring procedures, but many healthy women who have strong family histories of breast cancer consider prophylactic mastectomies, and their decisions are also based on very limited information, because there are few studies showing the effectiveness of that procedure. This paper delineates how to avoid limited information and biased recommendations is important for a conscious and informed choice by the patients.
KEY WORDS: Breast cancer - Informed consent - Surgical treatment.
