Breast Cancer Surgeries and Oncoplasty:
Breast cancer surgeries are essential components of treatment aimed at removing cancerous tissue from the breast and, when necessary, nearby lymph nodes. Oncoplasty is a specialized surgical approach that combines oncologic principles with plastic surgery techniques to achieve optimal cosmetic outcomes while ensuring complete cancer removal. Here's an overview of breast cancer surgeries and oncoplasty:
Breast Cancer Surgeries:
- Lumpectomy (Breast-conserving surgery): Also known as partial mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery, lumpectomy involves the removal of the cancerous tumor along with a margin of healthy tissue surrounding it. Lumpectomy is typically followed by radiation therapy to the breast to reduce the risk of cancer recurrence.
- Mastectomy: Mastectomy involves the surgical removal of the entire breast tissue. There are different types of mastectomy procedures, including:
- Total mastectomy: Removal of the entire breast tissue but preserving the skin and nipple.
- Modified radical mastectomy: Removal of the entire breast tissue, including the skin and nipple, along with nearby lymph nodes.
- Skin-sparing mastectomy: Removal of the breast tissue while preserving the breast skin, which can be followed by breast reconstruction.
- Nipple-sparing mastectomy: Removal of the breast tissue while preserving both the breast skin and nipple, which can also be followed by breast reconstruction.
- Axillary lymph node dissection: Involves the surgical removal of lymph nodes from the underarm (axilla) to determine if cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. Sentinel lymph node biopsy is a less invasive alternative that involves removing only the first few lymph nodes that cancer cells are likely to spread to.
Oncoplasty:
- Definition: Oncoplasty is a surgical approach that integrates oncologic principles (complete cancer removal) with plastic surgery techniques to achieve optimal cosmetic outcomes while ensuring effective cancer treatment.
- Techniques: Oncoplastic techniques involve reshaping the breast tissue following tumor removal to maintain symmetry and aesthetics. This may include techniques such as:
- Breast reshaping or rearrangement (such as glandular reshaping or tissue rearrangement)
- Volume replacement (using local tissue flaps or implants)
- Skin reduction or lift procedures
- Indications: Oncoplasty is commonly used in breast-conserving surgeries (lumpectomy) to achieve improved cosmetic outcomes while ensuring complete cancer removal. It may also be used in combination with mastectomy and breast reconstruction procedures.
Benefits of Oncoplasty:
- Improved Cosmesis: Oncoplasty techniques aim to preserve or enhance breast appearance, resulting in improved cosmetic outcomes and patient satisfaction.
- Complete Cancer Removal: Despite focusing on aesthetics, oncoplastic techniques prioritize complete cancer removal and tumor-free margins, ensuring effective cancer treatment.
- Reduced Need for Revision Surgery: By addressing cosmetic concerns during the initial surgery, oncoplasty may reduce the need for additional revision surgeries to correct cosmetic defects.
In summary, breast cancer surgeries play a crucial role in the treatment of breast cancer, with options ranging from breast-conserving surgeries (lumpectomy) to mastectomy procedures. Oncoplasty integrates plastic surgery techniques with oncologic principles to achieve optimal cosmetic outcomes while ensuring complete cancer removal, offering patients the benefits of both effective cancer treatment and improved breast aesthetics.
