A recent U.S study has revealed that the disadvantaged and old Hispanic women are more likely to be operated for breast cancer.
During the study, researchers found that nearly one third of 18000 women who had undergone mastectomy for early stage breast cancer had got the lymph nodes under the armpit surgically removed.
Cancer had not spread beyond the breast for these women.
The study showed that women in the lower socio economic group were getting unnecessary surgery done, especially when the cancer had not spread.
"There are surgeons that choose not to do it, and there are patients that don't know it's better. The take-home message for patients and surgeons is, you have to be educated about the downstream consequences of the surgery you choose to do, "researchers said.