What Is Oncoloplastic Breast Surgery?
Oncoplastic breast surgery combines the techniques of traditional breast cancer surgery with the cosmetic advantages of plastic surgery. The goal is to remove cancer while minimizing the unwanted effects of surgery, helping patients heal both physically & emotionally.
How Oncoplastic Surgery Works:
Oncoplastic surgery is most commonly performed in association with a lumpectomy. To begin, the surgeon will remove the tumor a small amount of surrounding tissue, and possibly some of the nearby lymph nodes. Then the plastic surgeon will perform a bilateral breast reduction or lift to make the 2 breasts symmetrical. The breast cancer surgery operation & plastic surgery operation are performed one after the other.
Doing this has several benefits:
- Requires only one surgical session allows a greater amount of tissue to be removed which can be helpful for larger tumors
- Makes it easier to produce symmetrical breasts.
Performed before radiation therapy which helps patients avoid potential complications of exposing surgical wounds to radiation.