New research released on Monday has revealed that fewer Canadian breast cancer patients are undergoing reconstructive surgery after mastectomy than those in other high-income countries, despite studies which show breast reconstruction for women who have undergone a mastectomy has a positive effect on their body image and overall well-being. According to the National Post, researchers found that some of the major barriers to breast reconstruction include patient age, geographical location, stage of breast cancer, and physician knowledge and attitudes toward reconstruction.