1 in 8 – That’s how many women in the US will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime, according to BreastCancer.org’s latest statistics. The disease doesn’t discriminate and affects women of all races, ages, and socio-economic classes. We, at Midwest Breast & Aesthetic Surgery, hope that you never have to find yourself having to deal with breast cancer or to watch a loved one go through it. But it doesn’t hurt to be prepared and to know your options.
Aside from the usual chemo or radiation therapy, surgery – particularly a mastectomy or the removal of the breast with cancer – is one of the more conventional ways to treat the disease. It can be either a partial or total mastectomy, depending on the patient’s needs and the Board-Certified surgeon’s recommendations. Once the cancerous part of the whole breast is removed, a patient can consider breast reconstruction surgery. It’s the procedure done “to rebuild a breast’s shape after a mastectomy.”
The infographic below focuses on the type of breast reconstruction surgery women can opt for: immediate and delayed. It highlights factors that come into play when considering breast reconstruction. Advantages and disadvantages are also listed. They serve to answer some of the more important questions a patient might have about the surgery regarding physical, emotional/psychological, and financial considerations. There are brief mentions of related concerns about cancer recurrence, cosmetic results, scarring, and recovery time.
If you have undergone a mastectomy or considering electing for one, use these bits of information to help you make the decision best suited to your breast reconstruction needs.
