Women who are diagnosed with breast cancer often face a difficult decision regarding whether or not to try and save their breasts. Even worse, however, is the fact that approximately 40 percent of women report “feeling uncomfortable” when asked to make such a decision.

Researchers at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada, recently conducted a study involving 157 breast cancer patients who were eligible for breast-conserving surgery to determine how satisfied the women were with decision-making process.

According to their findings, only 60 percent of the women said they were satisfied with the process -- meaning that 40 percent were not satisfied.

The study specifically found that the patients were more dissatisfied with the level of information they received in order to make an educated decision than with their own degree of participation in the process.

“This might adversely affect some women's satisfaction with care,” the researchers wrote in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology .

The authors concluded that educating patients, particularly those who are eligible for breast-conserving surgery, is especially important for achieving patient satisfaction.

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