The authors write that their review has indicated the need for a standardized approach to outcome assessment in breast reconstruction that also includes non-clinical factors. They write, "Traditional clinical outcomes remain important, but patient-reported outcomes such as satisfaction, body image, functional results, and cosmetic outcome will also need to be incorporated if the outcomes selected are to be of value to the women making decisions about reconstruction."

In an accompanying editorial, Monica Morrow, M.D., and Andrea L. Pusic, M.D., of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, write that the review points to the need for improved outcome reporting as scientists continue to search for therapies. The editorialists write, "In contrast to the search for new breast cancer therapies to improve survival, a long-term and enormously expensive task, improved standards for outcome reporting for reconstruction, and other aspects of breast cancer treatment have the potential to improve patient quality of life in the short term at a relatively modest cost."

Source: Journal of the National Cancer Institute