Surgeons' Approaches and Professional Perspectives on Breast Masses: A National Survey in Turkey.
OBJECTIVE
General surgeons' approaches to breast masses in their daily practices and their perspectives for issues on breast diseases and breast surgery are investigated through a survey.


METHODS
Answers of 524 general surgeons for the survey "Approach to breast diseases and breast surgery" between November 2012 and February 2013 were assessed. Demographic features, approaches to the breast masses, and answers for the clinical scenerios of surgeons were questioned. Surgeons were asked about management of breast cancer and the future role of surgeons for oncoplastic breast surgery and breast diseases.


RESULTS
Participants were representing 14.6% of all general surgeons in Turkey. The survey revealed that breast diseases are the most common cause for admission in general surgery outpatient clinics. Needle biopsies were employed by 241 (60%) respondents. Three hundred and seventy-one (71%) participants indicated that breast cancer management could be accurately conducted by the general surgeons. Two hundred and seventy-three (52%) respondents think that oncoplastic breast surgery should be performed by a general surgeon and 241 (41%) respondents predict that the role of general surgeons for breast diseases and breast surgery will decrease in the future.


CONCLUSIONS
Basic approaches towards breast masses need to be improved in our country despite the highest frequency of breast diseases in outpatient admissions. The views and opinions of surgeons on breast diseases and the course of breast surgery in different regions and different communities need to be defined and clarified.
Department of General Surgery, İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
Mustafa
M
Emiroğlu
Clinic of General Surgery, Bursa Şevket Yılmaz Training and Research Hospital, Bursa, Turkey.
Abdullah
A
İnal
Department of General Surgery, İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
İsmail
İ
Sert
Department of General Surgery, İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
Cem
C
Karaali
Department of General Surgery, Erzincan University Faculty of Medicine, Erzincan, Turkey.
Kemal
K
Peker
Department of General Surgery, Bozyaka Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
Enver
E
İlhan
Clinic of General Surgery, Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
Mehmet Ali
MA
Gülçelik
Department of General Surgery, İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
Varlık
V
Erol
Clinic of General Surgery, İstanbul Training and Research Hospital, İstanbul, Turkey.
Didem
D
Can
Department of General Surgery, İzmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
Cengiz
C
Aydın
Breast mass; Surgeons’ approach; survey