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29th October 2024
Aesthetic Breast Surgery After Cancer Surgery: Expert Advice from Prof. Malcolm Kell
As we established in a previous article, surgery is usually the first treatment option if you have been newly diagnosed with breast cancer. In many cases, the volume of breast tissue removed during surgery is minimal, but there are instances in which more complex surgeries may require the removal of a larger volume of your breast tissue.
In cases like these, you may opt to use a prosthetic to give the appearance of a fuller breast, or you may opt for additional surgery to reconstruct the affected breast(s). The decision is entirely yours, as reconstruction is an elective procedure.
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What is the benefit of an elective procedure following breast cancer surgery?
If you have had breast surgery to treat breast cancer or to prevent the likelihood of developing breast cancer, it can have a significant impact on your life. Having elective surgery to reconstruct the breast(s) which has been operated on is an option. This surgery may help you rediscover a sense of normality following a life-changing period.
Prof. Malcolm Kell, Consultant Breast Surgeon at Mater Private Network in Dublin explained that “patients who have a new cancer diagnosis are often embarrassed to ask for a reconstruction because their focus is on their cancer. We explain to them that reconstruction is a quality-of-life decision. With a reconstruction, they do not have to wear a prosthesis, or worry about what clothes they can wear, or further alter their lifestyle. Reconstruction, in its simplest form, is not aesthetic, it is about regaining your quality of life and restoring some normality.”
Does a breast reconstruction happen in the same surgery as a mastectomy?
A mastectomy is a surgery to remove a breast. It is used as a preventative measure if you have a gene marker that suggests you may have a high chance of developing breast cancer in the future. This surgery can also be performed as part of a treatment plan if you have already been diagnosed with breast cancer.
Prof. Kell confirmed it is possible, and preferable, to have breast reconstruction during the same surgery as a mastectomy. He explained: “For most people we try to do immediate reconstruction. The benefits of doing this is that we can try to keep more of the patient’s own skin. We will also try to preserve the nipple if patients are candidates for that. With reconstruction, we are attempting to restore the volume that has been removed during the mastectomy surgery.”
Breast Reconstruction
Breast reconstruction is an option for women who require a mastectomy. For some women, it helps them to feel more like themselves again.
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Can I have elective breast surgeries after other breast cancer treatments?
Elective breast surgeries are possible following other treatments for breast cancer, such as chemotherapy and radiation.
Prof. Kell notes that the type of surgery that is possible depends on the type of treatment you have had. He said: “One of the problems after radiation treatment, for example, is that your tissue just is not as stretchy as it was before the treatment. As a result, I am much more guarded about the outcomes you can achieve. The healing process after radiation treatment can be unpredictable and this can affect surgery outcomes.
"In some instances, we can do fat grafting or lipofilling. This process involves liposuction to harvest fat from a patient’s abdomen and transfer that back into the treated breast to restore volume.
“We can also do surgeries that will help to correct some of the changes or damage caused by the cancer and treatments such as radiation. This can be very effective for trying to restore the breast to look as it did pre-treatment.”
At Mater Private Network, breast reconstruction is carried out by a breast surgeon or plastic surgeon trained in breast reconstructive surgery, as part of the multi-disciplinary team which includes the oncologist, radiotherapist, and specialist nurses.
For more information about our breast surgery services, our team of experts and more, please visit the Breast Reconstruction page on our website.
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