American Society of Plastic Surgeons statement

I have been asked by a few people the reason why women are not involved in the discussion of breast reconstruction as discussed on the previous post. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has issued a statement recently...

"Women need to understand all of their options to make an informed decision," said ASPS President John Canady, MD. "Those who are diagnosed should be immediately referred to a full team of physicians that can provide breast care, and plastic surgeons need to be included as part of that treatment team."

"We know that there are many issues surrounding breast reconstruction and that addressing them all will take time, but this is a very important first step," said Dr. Canady. "Our goal is to make sure that those women who are not getting breast reconstruction are doing so of their own accord and not because they are uneducated or uninformed about their options."

I discussed earlier how every woman should be involved in the discussion of breast reconstruction at the initial diagnosis and should be given all of the options. The ASPS recommends that "primary care, general surgery, radiology, pathology, oncology, gynecology, and plastic surgery be available from the onset of treatment to ensure the greatest possible outcome for the patient." It would be all of our hopes that women are educated in this fact and soon, the ASPS will seek to inform the public of this through a variety of materials - information cards and online videos, ad campaigns featured online and in the waiting-room publication produced by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Knowing your option for breast reconstruction...

The goal of breast reconstruction is to provide symmetry, and to match, as closely as possible, the appearance and feel of a natural breast.

Breast reconstruction surgery is an option for nearly every woman who has had partial or complete mastectomies for cancer or other reasons, but at the least, every woman should be informed of this option. If you are thinking about having reconstructive surgery, it is a good idea to talk about it with your surgeon and a plastic surgeon experienced in breast reconstruction before your mastectomy. This lets the surgical teams plan the treatment that is best for you, even if you decide to wait and have reconstructive surgery later.

According to a recent report, although there has been a steady increase in the amount of breast reconstructive procedures performed annually, nearly 70% of women who are eligible for reconstruction are not informed of the reconstructive options available to them. Statistics reported by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) shows that >79,000 breast reconstruction procedures were performed in 2008 alone - a 39% increase from the previous year. Unbelievably, current research shows that most breast cancer patients are not even involved in a key discussion that should take place at the time of their initial diagnosis.

Women who choose to undergo breast reconstruction report improved self-esteem, self-confidence, femininity, comfort, and wholeness with their bodies. Your plastic & reconstructive surgeon should personalize your consultation to provide an informed discussion about the procedures that they offer and assist you in determining which procedure would be the most suitable for you. Be sure to discuss the best timing and type of reconstruction for you, taking into account your cancer type, tumor size, nodal involvement, the need for pre/postoperative chemotherapy or radiation therapy, your overall medical health and comorbidities, along with your own personal preferences. The discussion should involve you in the decision-making process, as the final reconstruction will ultimately become part of you.

Welcome

Welcome to this Breast Reconstruction/Breast Cancer blog. This is the first entry in what I hope will become a primary site for information sharing regarding breast reconstruction, breast cancer, and other resources and information on reconstructive options for women following complete or partial mastectomy for cancer or other reasons. As a plastic & reconstructive surgeon with a particular interest in breast cancer and reconstruction, I look to offer any assistance that I can in regards to this topic.

I look forward to providing and exchanging as much useful information as possible in hopes of helping those searching for answers to gather knowledge and understanding of breast cancer and breast reconstruction options. I encourage everyone with questions, concerns, or information regarding this topic to post on this site. Feel free to browse this site and links/resources and leave comments/questions on topics discussed or future topics that you would like addressed.

Thank you for visiting this site.