Mystery over Australian mastectomy outcomes

Why have mastectomies in Australia had worse mortality outcomes than breast-conserving surgery?
Clare Pain
Pink silhouette of a woman with a circular hole for a breast - signifying mastectomy

Australian women who have mastectomy for breast cancer may be at higher risk of death than those who opt for breast-conserving surgery, according to a systematic review.

Examining five Australian studies of breast cancer outcomes by type of surgery, women undergoing mastectomy had between 35% and 82% greater mortality risk during follow-up than those who had breast-conserving surgery, the results showed.