FRIDAY, Oct. 14, 2005 (HealthDay News) -- A new Spanish-language booklet explains surgery choices to U.S. Hispanic women recently diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.
The booklet, from the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), provides evidence-based information about lumpectomy, a breast-sparing procedure that's followed by radiation therapy; mastectomy, which involves the removal of the entire breast; and mastectomy with breast reconstruction surgery.
The booklet is the Spanish version of Surgery Choices for Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer, recently published by the AHRQ and the U.S. National Cancer Institute.
Breast cancer is the leading form of cancer among U.S. Hispanic women. An estimated 11,000 Hispanic women in the U.S. were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, according to the American Cancer Society.
"Most women operated on for early-stage breast cancer will lead long, healthy lives. But the type of surgery a woman chooses can affect how she looks and feels," AHRQ director Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy said in a prepared statement. "This tool helps the Spanish-speaking women decide, with her surgeon, the type of procedure that is best for her."
The booklet features side-by-side comparisons of questions and answers for each type of surgery.
More information
Here's where you can find the Spanish-language booklet and the English version.
