Private MD News

Fat transfer may help breast cancer survivors post-mastectomy

Category: Breast

Diagnosis with a lab test is one of the first steps toward successfully tackling breast cancer. From there, women may undergo several treatments, which may include radiation, chemotherapy or a mastectomy of one or both breasts.

In order to maintain a feeling of familiarity, some women choose to have reconstructive surgery following a mastectomy. However, if the lymph nodes needed to be removed along with the breasts, divots and indentations may be left in the skin, decreasing the natural look of one's chest.

One way to solve this problem is to use liposuction to remove fat tissue from another part of a woman's body, then transfer it to the area surrounding her breast implants.

"Radiation and surgery can damage the appearance of the breast," said Victor Cimino, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon at Loyola University Health System. "Women who undergo a fat transfer tend to appreciate that their own tissue is being used to naturally enhance the look and feel of their breasts after reconstructive surgery."

Fat is typically harvested from abdomen, thighs or buttocks. When done correctly, a series of fat transfer procedures may cause minimal pain and scarring.

Women who fear they may have breast cancer should undergo a lab test. A correct diagnosis will help them plan ahead for the best course of treatment.