Reconstructive plastic surgery for breast cancer is performed to replace skin,
breast tissue and the nipple removed during a mastectomy. The amount of missing tissue varies with each mastectomy. Factors contributing to the amount of tissue removed include the width, size and location of the original tumor and its proximity to the axilla, where the lymph glands are removed.
The ultimate goal of reconstruction is to restore symmetry between the two breasts.
Choosing Breast Reconstruction
When it comes to breast reconstruction, the choices that are right for one woman won't necessarily be right for another. That's because the long-term prospects of living without a breast or part of a breast affect every woman differently.
After your mastectomy, you may choose to wear external breast forms or pads or make no attempt to alter your appearance. Or you may choose breast reconstruction, using either
breast implants or your own tissue.
Continual improvements in plastic surgery techniques offer better results today than ever before and make breast reconstruction an option for most women facing a mastectomy.
The decision, however, is a personal one and often not easy to make.
Why Should I Consider Breast Reconstruction?
Restoring the breast is not considered cosmetic surgery. Operations performed to restore anatomy and symmetry, like breast reconstruction after a mastectomy, are considered reconstructive surgery. Since breast reconstruction after mastectomy is considered part of the treatment of a disease, The Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act mandates that insurers provide coverage for breast reconstruction following mastectomy surgery.
Breast reconstruction not only changes your physical appearance, but has psychological benefits as well. It can help promote a sense of wellness for you and your family.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the second most common cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. Symptoms include a lump in the breast or underarm area, nipple pain, change in breast size or shape, an inverted nipple, nipple discharge, and breast skin changes. Treatment may involve chemotherapy, radiation therapy, biological therapy, hormone therapy, or surgery.
Cancer is a disease caused by an abnormal growth of cells, also called malignancy. It is a group of 100 different diseases, and is not contagious. Cancer can be treated through chemotherapy, a treatment of drugs that destroy cancer cells.
A bruise, or contusion, is caused when blood vessels are damaged or broken as the result of a blow to the skin. The raised area of a bump or bruise results from blood leaking from these injured blood vessels into the tissues as well as from the body's response to the injury. Treatments include applying an ice pack and pressure to the area by hand.
Breast lumps in women can have a variety of causes such as breast inflammation, infection, injuries, cancer, and non-cancerous growths. Breast lumps in women are diagnosed with physical exam, mammogram, ultrasound, MRI, and biopsy. Treatment of breast lumps in women depend on the cause.
The breast generally refers to the chest, however, more specifically, to the mammary gland. The mammary gland is a milk producing gland comprised largely of fat. Within the mammary gland is a complex network of branching ducts. The ducts exit from sac-like structures called lobules, which can produce milk in females. The darkened area around the nipple is called the areola. Common medical concerns in regard to the breast include breast lumps, breast cysts, breast cancer, and breast infections.
Scar formation is a natural part of the healing process after injury. The depth and size of the wound incision and the location of the injury impact the scar's characteristics, but your age, heredity and even sex or ethnicity will affect how your skin reacts.
Inflammatory breast cancer is an accelerated form of breast cancer that is not usually detected by mammogram or ultrasound. Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include pain in the breast, skin change in the breast area, bruise on the breast,sudden swelling of the breast, nipple retraction or discharge, and swelling of the lymph nodes.
Regular physical activity can reduce the risk of disease. Regular exercise can also reduce the symptoms of stress and anxiety. There are fitness programs that fit any age or lifestyle.
Women's health is an important topic area to guide a woman through the stages of her life, as well as knowing the conditions and diseases that may occur. Educating yourself so that the transitions into different phases of life is key to a healthy, happy, and productive life.
Tumor grade is a system used to classify cancer cells in how likely the tumor is to grow, and how abnormal they look under a microscope. Tumor grade is not the same as tumor stage. A biopsy is taken to determine if the tumor is benign (non cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).
What Are the Symptoms of Inflammatory Breast Cancer?
Unlike the more common form of breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer
does not generally show up as a lump. The disease grows as nests or sheets that
clog the lymph system under the skin. Often the symptoms are attributed to other
diseases and thus the diagnosis may take a long time to occur.
Symptoms of inflammatory breast cancer include:
Pain in the breast. Often inflammatory breast cancer is mistaken as a breast infection and treated with antibiotics. If response to antibiotics doesn't occur after a week, request a breast biopsy or referral to a breast specialist.
Skin changes in the breast area. You may find pink or reddened areas often with the texture and thickness of an orange. (peau d'orange)
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