INTRODUCTION

We evaluated the impact of travel distance and insurance status on contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) rates in breast cancer.

METHODS

We queried the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) for women >18 years of age with a nonmetastatic primary breast cancer of ductal, lobular, or mixed histology. Patient- and facility-specific CPM rates were calculated based on insurance, race, and distance to treatment center. Standard univariable and multivariable regression analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Overall, the CPM rate was 6.5% for the 864,105 patients identified. Most patients traveled <20 miles to a treatment center (79.5%) and had private insurance or Medicare (58.3 and 33.4%, respectively). In general, younger, White, non-Hispanic, and privately insured patients residing further from a treatment center was associated with increased rates of CPM. However, distance to the treatment center and insurance type had a greater absolute impact on rates of CPM for Black and Hispanic patients. Absolute CPM rate increases for patients >100 miles from a treatment center compared with those <20 miles from a treatment center were observed to be greater for Black and Hispanic patients (3.5 and 3.9%, respectively) compared with White and non-Hispanic patients (2.5 and 2.6%). Additionally, further patient travel distance was associated with higher treatment center-specific CPM rates.

CONCLUSION

Increased travel distance is independently associated with increased rates of CPM for all patients and increased facility-specific rates of CPM. Black and Hispanic patients were found to be more vulnerable to the impact of travel distance and insurance status on rates of CPM.