Decision making about breast reconstruction after mastectomy

Division of Public Health Sciences and Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

This multi-site study  is implementing a decision support tool called B.R.E.A.S.T. Choice and testing its effectiveness in clinical practice. B.R.E.A.S.T. Choice helps women considering a mastectomy decide whether or not to have breast reconstruction, and which breast reconstruction option is best for them.

Myckatyn T.M., Parikh R.P., Lee C., Politi M.C. (2020) Challenges and Solutions for the Implementation of Shared Decision-making in Breast Reconstruction. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2020;8(2):e2645. Published 2020 Feb 6. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000002645

Politi, M.C., Lee, C.N., Philpott-Streiff, S.E., et al. (2020) A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the BREASTChoice Tool for Personalized Decision Support About Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy. Ann Surg. 271(2):230-237. doi:10.1097/SLA.0000000000003444

Hasak J.M., Myckatyn, T.M., Grabinski, V.F., Philpott, S.E., Parikh, R.P., Politi, M.C. (2017) Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Postmastectomy Breast Reconstruction: Recognizing Ways to Improve Shared Decision MakingPlast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 5(11):e1569. doi:10.1097/GOX.0000000000001569

Boateng J, Lee CN, Foraker RE, et al. Implementing an Electronic Clinical Decision Support Tool Into Routine Care: A Qualitative Study of Stakeholders’ Perceptions of a Post-Mastectomy Breast Reconstruction Tool. MDM Policy & Practice. 2021;6(2). doi:10.1177/23814683211042010  

Lee CN, Sullivan J, Foraker R, et al. Integrating a Patient Decision Aid into the Electronic Health Record: A Case Report on the Implementation of BREASTChoice at 2 Sites. MDM Policy & Practice. 2022;7(2). doi:10.1177/23814683221131317 

Foraker, R., Phommasathit, C, Clevenger, K, Lee, C., Boateng, J., Shareef, N., & Politi, M.C. (2023). Using the sociotechnical model to conduct a focused usability assessment of a breast reconstruction decision tool. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making. doi: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2120998/v1 

Politi MC, Myckatyn TM, Cooksey K, et al. A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Implementation of BREASTChoice , a Multilevel Breast Reconstruction Decision Support Tool With Personalized Risk PredictionAnn Surg. Published online May 27, 2024. doi:10.1097/SLA.0000000000006354

The earlier project developing the tool was supported by the Siteman Investment Program (SIP) Research Development Funds.

The current project implementing the tool is supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, R18 HS026699. For more information about this study, please visit our study website.

This project is led by Dr. Mary Politi, Dr. Terry Myckatyn, Dr. Clara Lee, and a team of internal and external advisors. Learn more about the study and study team here.