ArticleAnnals of surgical oncology2023
National Trends in "Going Flat" After Mastectomy.
Article in Annals of surgical oncology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.
- Aesthetic Flat Closure Following Mastectomy: A Systematic Review of Techniques, Outcomes, and Patient Perspectives.Aesthetic plastic surgery · 2026Pooled it
- Society of Surgical Oncology Breast Disease Site Working Group Statement on Bilateral Risk-Reducing Mastectomy: Indications, Outcomes, and Risks.Annals of surgical oncology · 2025Pooled it
- "Going Flat" After Mastectomy: A Social Media Analysis of Patient Perspectives and Educational Needs.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2026Article
- Effects of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists on Breast Reconstruction Outcomes: A Large-Database Retrospective Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- "Going Flat" in Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy-An Analysis of Patient-Reported Outcome Measurements of Preliminary 57 Procedures.The breast journal · 2026Article
- Evaluation of aesthetic flat closure: A scoping review.JPRAS open · 2025Review
- Understanding Trends in Incidence and Management of Pregnancy-Associated Breast Cancer in a National Sample Using Claims Data.Journal of surgical oncology · 2025Article
- Breast implant illness after reconstruction with silicone breast implants.Journal of the National Cancer Institute · 2025Article
- Addressing Sexual Health in Breast Cancer Survivors: Evidence-Based Practices and Clinical Considerations.Current treatment options in oncology · 2025Review
- Women's decision process when actively choosing to 'go flat' after breast cancer: a constructivist grounded theory study.BMC women's health · 2024Article
- Single-incision approach to aesthetic flat closure after bilateral mastectomy in morbidly obese patients.JPRAS open · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionThe "Going Flat" movement became widely publicized in 2016 and provides information and support to women who choose to forego post-mastectomy breast reconstruction (PMBR). The objectives of this study were to evaluate temporal trends in PMBR to ascertain the potential impact of this movement and assess which factors are associated with going flat.
methodsA retrospective cohort analysis was performed using the NCDB of women with non-metastatic breast cancer who underwent mastectomy between 2004 and 2019. Trends in going flat after mastectomy were examined and stratified by age (< 50, 50-69, ≥ 70). A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with going flat.
results650,983 patients met the inclusion criteria: 244,201 (37.5%) underwent PMBR and 406,782 (62.5%) went flat. Among women < 70, rates of going flat steadily decreased from 2004 to 2015 and then stabilized after 2015, coinciding with the rise of the "Going Flat" movement. In multivariate analysis, non-White race, older age, increasing comorbidities, government provided insurance, treatment at a community program, radiotherapy, and adjuvant chemotherapy were associated with a higher likelihood of going flat (p < 0.001).
conclusionIn the first 2 years after the "Going Flat" movement, the number of women going flat after mastectomy has stabilized in women < 70 for the first time in over a decade. These trends suggest that the social and cultural impact of this movement may have contributed to the stabilization of PMBR rates.
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