The relative importance of factors influencing the surgeons' choice between mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery for women with breast cancer

Hançerlioğulları Köksalmış G., Cetinguc B., Durucu M., Camgöz Akdağ H., Gulluoglud B. M., Karanlik H., ...More

HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN INTERNATIONAL, 2021 (SSCI) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2021
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/07399332.2021.2009834
  • Journal Name: HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN INTERNATIONAL
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, Abstracts in Social Gerontology, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, Educational research abstracts (ERA), EMBASE, Gender Studies Database, MEDLINE, PAIS International, Psycinfo, Public Affairs Index, Social services abstracts, Sociological abstracts
  • Istanbul University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The authors' aim is to provide breast surgeons' perspectives on the relative importance of the criteria for choosing an appropriate surgery method between mastectomy (total removal of a breast) and breast-conserving surgery (removal of a breast cancer tumor and some of the normal tissue that surrounds it) for women with breast cancer by using the multicriteria decision-making method (MCDM). The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), and Vise Kriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) methods are utilized. A decision hierarchy is set with a goal, criteria, and alternatives. We developed our model based on three main criteria, tumor-related, patient-related, and post-operative process-related factors and nineteen sub-criteria, as well as two alternatives, mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery (BCS). An online questionnaire was sent to the breast surgeons; we showed that the most important criteria are post-operative process-related factors, especially the demand for esthetic appearance based on 39 breast surgeons. Conversely, the least significant criteria are tumor-related factors. Furthermore, breast-conserving surgery is selected as the most appropriate surgery method for breast cancer patients using the AHP, TOPSIS, and VIKOR.