If you have had a mastectomy, you will not need to have routine mammograms to screen for breast cancer. However, if you have had breast-conserving surgery, you will need to undergo mammograms of the affected breast.
Breast cancer screening after breast reconstruction depends on the type of surgery you have undergone:
- Bilateral mastectomy: If you had a bilateral mastectomy, you do not need to undergo routine mammograms.
- Unilateral mastectomy: If you had a mastectomy on only one breast, it is essential to get a mammogram of the untreated breast because there is a risk of developing cancer on the other side.
- Breast-conserving surgery: If you had breast-conserving surgery, you will need to get mammograms of the treated breast.
- Flap reconstruction: If you had flap reconstruction and notice a lump, it be due to benign fat necrosis, which is caused by the formation of dead cells following the reconstruction procedure. Occasionally, you may require a mammogram, ultrasound, or aspiration biopsy.
- Implant reconstruction: If you had implant reconstruction and notice a lump, it may be due to the capsular contracture caused by the formation of a hard tissue capsule around the implant.
- Lumpectomy: If you had a lumpectomy but have healthy breasts, it is recommended to get routine annual mammograms.
What is breast reconstruction?
Breast reconstruction is done to reshape breasts that are surgically removed (mastectomy or lumpectomy) as a part of cancer treatment. Breast reconstruction procedures use silicone or saline implants or flap tissue from the body.
Breast reconstruction can be done immediately after breast cancer surgery or a few months or years later. Benefits of breast reconstruction include:
- Restores breast symmetry, making both breasts look similar in shape and size.
- Helps women feel better about their bodies
Breast cancer screening for healthy breasts with implants
To balance out the reconstructed breast, the healthy breast may need a silicone implant. Silicone implants will not allow mammogram X-rays to pass through them.
In such cases, the technician may take different views of the breast. These are called implant displacement views. They gently move the implants toward the chest wall and bring the breast tissue forward to capture better images. This helps them capture better images of the front part of the breast.
Breast cancer screening for high-risk women
Undergoing breast cancer screening after reconstruction is not advised, but there are no rules against doing so. For example, if you have a family history of cancer or your doctor suspects an increased risk of a local occurrence, breast cancer screening may be recommended even if its benefits are not proven.
MRIs generally work better in such cases than mammograms because they offer clear images. However, the drawback of MRI screening is that it is more susceptible to having false positives.
QUESTION
A lump in the breast is almost always cancer. See AnswerBreast cancer screening after nipple-sparing mastectomy
Nipple-sparing mastectomy is a procedure in which the entire breast tissue is removed and the nipple is preserved. If you have undergone this type of procedure, consult your physician about whether cancer screening is required.
If your physician recommends screening tests, seek the advice of your physician to understand what type of screening is recommended, such as a mammogram, MRI, ultrasound, or combination tests.
Generally, it is recommended to do breast cancer screening tests 6 months after the reconstruction procedure and essential to inform your technician about the type of implants you received.
MRI screening for silicone implant rupture
For silicone implants done for breast reconstruction, the FDA recommends getting MRI screening 3 years after receiving the implants and then every 2 years for the rest of your life.
This can detect ruptures if they occur. If a silicone rupture occurs, the gel leaks out of the silicone implant, and you will not be able to notice it.
Screening After Breast Reconstruction. https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/breast-reconstruction/screening-after-reconstruction
Are Mammograms Needed After Breast Reconstruction? https://www.foxchase.org/blog/are-mammograms-needed-after-breast-reconstruction
Mammograms After Breast Cancer Surgery. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/mammograms/having-a-mammogram-after-youve-had-breast-cancer-surgery.html
Top Breast Cancer Screening After Reconstruction Related Articles
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is an invasive tumor that develops in the mammary gland. Breast cancer is detected via mammograms, breast self-examination (BSE), biopsy, and specialized testing on breast cancer tissue. Treatment of breast cancer may involve surgery, radiation, hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Breast cancer risk may be lowered by managing controllable risk factors.
What you should know about breast cancer
- Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women.
- One in every eight women in the United States develops breast cancer.
- There are many types of breast cancer that differ in their capability of spreading (metastasize) to other body tissues.
- The causes of breast cancer are unknown, although medical professionals have identified a number of risk factors.
- There are 11 common types of breast cancer and 4 uncommon types of breast cancer.
- Breast cancer early signs and symptoms include
- a lump in the breast or armpit,
- bloody nipple discharge,
- inverted nipple,
- orange-peel texture or dimpling of the breast's skin (peau d'orange),
- breast pain or sore nipple,
- swollen lymph nodes in the neck or armpit, and
- a change in the size or shape of the breast or nipple.
- Breast cancer can also be symptom free, which makes following national screening recommendations an important practice.
- Breast cancer is diagnosed during a physical exam, by a self-exam of the breasts, mammography, ultrasound testing, and biopsy.
- Treatment of breast cancer depends on the type of cancer and its stage (0-IV) and may involve surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.
Breast Cancer: Surprising Things That Can Help During and After Treatment
When you have breast cancer, help can come from some unexpected places. WebMD shares a few.
Where Breast Cancer Spreads
When breast cancer spreads, or metastasizes, it often goes to these five places: the lymph nodes, bones, liver, lungs, and brain. See how breast cancer metastasis affects the body, possible symptoms, and treatment.
Breast Cancer Slides
Learn about breast cancer causes, symptoms, tests, recovery, and prevention. Discover the types of treatments such as surgery and drug therapies as well as the survival rate for breast cancer.
What Questions Should I Ask My Doctor About Breast Cancer?
A diagnosis of breast cancer can be overwhelming, so it's important to write down all your questions before meeting with your doctor.
Breast Cancer Quiz
This Breast Cancer Quiz features signs, symptoms, facts, causes, common forms, terms, risk factors, statistics, and more. Increase your awareness of breast cancer now!
Breast Reconstruction
After a mastectomy, breast reconstruction is performed to replace the skin, breast tissue, and the nipple. A patient's goals, medical conditions, cancer treatment, and previous surgery affect the type and timing of the reconstructive surgery.
Breast Reconstruction Without Implants
If a woman doesn't want to have breast implants after a mastectomy, she may have her breast(s) reconstructed with her own body tissue. This is commonly known as a flap procedure. There are two methods of flap procedures: tunneling and free-flap. Side effects include pain, itching, numbness or tingling, and fluid collection under the wound.
Can Mammograms Detect Cancer?
Mammograms can detect a lump or an abnormal growth in the breast that may indicate breast cancer. However, if breast tissue is dense, a small tumor may be missed.
Can You Feel a Breast Cancer Lump With Implants?
Breast cancer lumps can still be felt even after getting implants because the implants are inserted behind your breast tissue. Learn what signs to look for when checking for breast cancer and how to conduct a self-examination at home. Check out the center below for more medical references on breast cancer, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related diseases, treatment, diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
How Do They Do a Mammogram When You Have Implants?
Technicians perform implant displacement views and three-dimensional imaging mammograms for women with breast implants. Check out the center below for more medical references on mammograms, including multimedia (slideshows, images, and quizzes), related disease conditions, treatment and diagnosis, medications, and prevention or wellness.
Is a Breast Ultrasound or Mammogram Better?
The breast cancer diagnostic test best suited to you depends on your age, your symptoms, and the structure of your breasts. As a rule of thumb, a breast ultrasound is more accurate in women younger than 45 years. A mammography is preferred in women older than 45 years.
Is MRI Better Than Mammogram?
According to studies, breast cancer screening using MRI two times a year is considered better than one mammogram per year.
What Is Free Flap Breast Reconstruction?
Breast reconstruction involves rebuilding the shape of the breast. Breast reconstruction with the complete removal of a piece of tissue (flap) from a healthy site to the site of mastectomy is known as free flap breast reconstruction. Free flap breast reconstruction can be performed immediately after a mastectomy.