As I celebrate the third anniversary of my reconstruction and, on some levels, my resurrection, I am struck by how little advancement has been made in terms of educating women about their full range of surgical options to address breast cancer.
As I mentioned in my earlier posts, I often find myself in a counseling role, supporting women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. One of the most difficult decisions for these women to make relates to breast surgery. Lumpectomy or Mastectomy? Reconstruction or Not?
Aside from the obvious imperative to remove the insidious cancer cells from the body, there's just so much to consider. The considerations are extremely unique and personal to each and every individual woman. Not only do these early decisions effect a woman physically and in terms of recurrence risk, but may impact her psychological and emotional well-being going forward. These "quality of life" consideration MUST be given weighted consideration by both the patient and her team of physicians.
With the trend towards minimally invasive surgery and breast conserving lumpectomy, those that may benefit from breast removal (mastectomy) and aesthetic breast reconstruction are often made to feel over-reactive or overly conservative in their desire to explore the choice of mastectomy for early stage breast cancer. I am not advocating for mastectomy. Trust me, there are many times when I wish I could re-wind back to the days of having real breasts and the associated sexual benefits. I am advocating, however, that all women facing breast cancer should be presented with their full range of possible surgical options before commencing their treatment plans.
What many women do not know, for instance, is that some electing mastectomy over lumpectomy may be able to avert radiation therapy, which carries a risk of degrading tissue. Also for consideration is the fact that lumpectomy can mar the breast aesthetic with its resulting scarring and divets. It's not an easy or automatic decision. Women should be shown the possible outcomes of plastic surgery breast reconstruction so that they can envision the end results of their cancer removal decisions. Additionally, they need to be made aware of nipple sparing mastectomy and its benefit for some (see attached article).
I expect that as chemotherapy drugs continue to improve, and radiation treatment more pinpointed, fewer women with early stage breast cancer will truly gain recurrence risk reduction benefits by having radical breast removal surgery. However, in the interim, women that want to insure or gain psychological/emotional faith in their survival after breast cancer, and those for whom aesthetic is emotionally important, mastectomy with reconstruction should be offered, one of many options to fully consider at the very beginning of the breast cancer journey towards overall wellness.
Three happy years later, I feel and look great!
As I mentioned in my earlier posts, I often find myself in a counseling role, supporting women newly diagnosed with breast cancer. One of the most difficult decisions for these women to make relates to breast surgery. Lumpectomy or Mastectomy? Reconstruction or Not?
Aside from the obvious imperative to remove the insidious cancer cells from the body, there's just so much to consider. The considerations are extremely unique and personal to each and every individual woman. Not only do these early decisions effect a woman physically and in terms of recurrence risk, but may impact her psychological and emotional well-being going forward. These "quality of life" consideration MUST be given weighted consideration by both the patient and her team of physicians.
With the trend towards minimally invasive surgery and breast conserving lumpectomy, those that may benefit from breast removal (mastectomy) and aesthetic breast reconstruction are often made to feel over-reactive or overly conservative in their desire to explore the choice of mastectomy for early stage breast cancer. I am not advocating for mastectomy. Trust me, there are many times when I wish I could re-wind back to the days of having real breasts and the associated sexual benefits. I am advocating, however, that all women facing breast cancer should be presented with their full range of possible surgical options before commencing their treatment plans.
What many women do not know, for instance, is that some electing mastectomy over lumpectomy may be able to avert radiation therapy, which carries a risk of degrading tissue. Also for consideration is the fact that lumpectomy can mar the breast aesthetic with its resulting scarring and divets. It's not an easy or automatic decision. Women should be shown the possible outcomes of plastic surgery breast reconstruction so that they can envision the end results of their cancer removal decisions. Additionally, they need to be made aware of nipple sparing mastectomy and its benefit for some (see attached article).
I expect that as chemotherapy drugs continue to improve, and radiation treatment more pinpointed, fewer women with early stage breast cancer will truly gain recurrence risk reduction benefits by having radical breast removal surgery. However, in the interim, women that want to insure or gain psychological/emotional faith in their survival after breast cancer, and those for whom aesthetic is emotionally important, mastectomy with reconstruction should be offered, one of many options to fully consider at the very beginning of the breast cancer journey towards overall wellness.
Three happy years later, I feel and look great!
No comments:
Post a Comment