BREAST CANCER SURGERY: BREAST REMOVAL & SIMULTANEOUS RECONSTRUCTION

Depending on the anatomical attributes of the patient and the make-up of the tumour (size of the breast, location/size of the tumour, biological and microscopic make-up of the tumour) breast conservation therapy may not be an option. In such cases, complete removal of the breast (a mastectomy) must be considered. As many women are extremely daunted by the prospect of physical disfigurement, most of those affected opt for simultaneous reconstruction of the breast. During the operation, it is possible to establish via the > Sentinel technique whether any tumour cells have broken away and progressed to the filtering station, or lymph nodes located under the armpit. Clearly, any breast reconstruction is still a substitute for a real breast and will not be as sensitive as a natural breast. However, experience generally shows that a reconstructed breast quickly and fully blends in with patient's overall body contour.

Unfortunately there are often claims from all kinds of different quarters that immediate breast reconstruction is impossible or an obstacle to the success of cancer therapy. These claims are medically unfounded and also completely untenable from an ethical point of view. Every woman has the right to physical integrity. Based on the many patients we have treated, we have come to the conclusion that the shock of receiving a diagnosis is substantially alleviated by the restoration of a patient's body contour and femininity. These women enjoy a much better quality of life than patients who have to make do with external breast implants worn inside a bra.