Women who have chosen to have breast reconstruction surgery can
now opt to have fat transfer with less concern for recurring cancer.
This surgical option has been shown to not increase rates over a
five-year period.
Women choosing to have breast reconstruction surgery often have to
weigh their options. One option is to have the procedure done using fat
transfer. This surgery uses fat harvested from other areas of the body
to build and reconstruct the breast, often eliminating the need for an
implant. While the practice was common among plastic surgeons, it was
not until recently that studies proved that this was a safe option that
did not increase the chances of cancer recurrence.
This
procedure, which is technically called lipofilling, allows the surgeon
to suction fat from the woman's body in an area like the abdomen that
has an ample supply and then use her own tissue to re-form the breasts.
It has been around for 30 years, and many women who are facing cancer
like this option because it does not add a foreign entity to their
bodies. However, doctors could not state that the procedure would not
trigger new cancer development.
Why would it? In unrelated
laboratory testing, studies showed that fat cells could, in fact, cause
cancer cells to start to grow. Because doctors could not be sure if this
would or would not happen during breast reconstruction, they had to
proceed with caution.
So a study was performed in 2011 following
321 women who had breast reconstruction surgery because of cancer using
the fat transfer technique, as well as 642 women who had no fat transfer
but still had breast cancer. Two years after the initial procedure,
none of the women with fat transfer had a recurrence of their cancer.
The same results were true after five years. These results were
published in May in the Annals of Oncology.
So, women who wish
to have this procedure can proceed with a bit more confidence. Of
course, further long-term studies are needed, and this study was just a
small sampling of cancer patients. Some surgeons are still warning women
to be cautious, while others are fully embracing this as a viable
option for those who wish to rebuild their breasts a bit more naturally.
The initial findings are very promising.
Women who are
interested in breast reconstruction need to begin by talking to a
cosmetic surgeon to learn their option. They need to schedule the
surgery at an appropriate time, as there are certain time frames after
mastectomy where the body is more ready to heal from reconstructive
surgery than other times. They also need to talk to their insurance
providers to see what types of reconstructive surgeries are covered.
Breast
reconstruction using fat transfer is just one of many options available
to today's cancer patient. Always pursue every option that is available
to you to ensure you are making the best possible decision for your
body and your health. Cancer does not have to mean the end of your
femininity. With the help of a skilled cosmetic surgeon, you will soon
be sporting curves once again
, showing cancer who is in control of your life!
, showing cancer who is in control of your life!
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