A new study published in Cancer shows that more aggressive treatment options for breast cancer leads to substantial employment disruptions among working patients. Researchers surveyed a large group of women aged 20 to 79 diagnosed with Stage 0-II breast cancer in Georgia and Los Angeles.

Of those surveyed, 84% reported working full-time prior to their diagnosis, with only half having jobs allowing for paid sick leave. Researchers identified several factors associated with missing at least one month of work or stopping work all together. They found that patients who underwent chemo were more likely to stop work for one month or more, while surgical treatment was associated with missing more than one month of work and stopping work altogether.

Researchers wrote, "these findings are important because never before have women with breast cancer faced such a wide range of choices for surgical management...understanding the employment effects of different surgical decisions is critically important to the many patients who consider surgical treatments more aggressive than medically necessary to treat their cancer."

For more on the results of the study, click here.