Private MD News

Breast cancer patients want to see reconstruction results before surgery

Category: Breast

A mastectomy is sometimes the best treatment for women who screen positive for breast cancer through a lab test. Some of these patients opt for reconstructive surgery following the removal of their breasts. However, a new survey released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) indicates that 89 percent of women want to see, in person and before they undergo a mastectomy, what the results of such procedures look like.

The findings of this survey are significant in light of previous studies that indicated 70 percent of female breast cancer patients never learn about their options for reconstructive surgery.

"It is our job as doctors to fully inform our patients about breast reconstruction options," said ASPS president Malcolm Roth. "Women are telling us that they want to actually see what reconstruction results would look like beforehand, and as their physicians we need to do everything we can to honor their request."

Other new data indicated that only 23 percent of women knew the wide range of surgical options available, 22 percent were aware of the quality of outcomes and 19 percent understood that the timing of reconstruction after treatment could impact the results.

A proper diagnosis of breast cancer with a lab test is the first step to deciding the best approach.