Recent improvements in plastic surgery procedures are encouraging breast cancer survivors to undergo reconstructive surgery, according to a report in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
Dr. Sumner Slavin, a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the report’s co-author, says patients who have had a lumpectomy or breast conservation surgery may benefit psychologically from breast reconstruction.
The procedures involve the removal of a portion of the breast; many patients believe their breasts have an abnormal shape following their surgeries.
The new procedures permit doctors to remodel the patient’s breast, resulting in a more natural look.
According to Dr. Slavin, very few women know their options for reconstructive surgery and many are too timid to ask questions. He believes that, despite the emotional challenges inherent in their battle with cancer, breast reconstruction can improve the quality of his patients’ lives and help them deal with the impact of their cancer and treatments.