What To Know About Having A Mastectomy: Timeline For Breast Reconstruction Procedures

Life After A Mastectomy

Getting a breast cancer diagnosis or having a higher risk of developing the disease is probably one of the most devastating diagnoses a woman can receive. While treatable, many people die from the disease and the threat of facing a mastectomy can compound the feeling of loss. The procedure removes tissue from one or both breasts which can lead to depression and lower self-esteem. Women no longer have to live with the disfiguring results caused by this medically necessary surgery. With breast reconstruction, many women find comfort with implants, sometimes the same day that a mastectomy is performed.

A dual surgery

Sometimes women can have what’s known as an immediate reconstruction which is when implants are inserted during the same operation following the removal of the organic breast tissue. Such a procedure is usually recommended when no follow-up cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation is required. As a result, both oncologists and plastic surgeons will be present with the cosmetic procedure, leveraging either breast implants or fat transfer to help reshape the breasts and preserve or improve a woman’s chest profile. In some cases, the dual surgery can result in an enhanced bust depending on the woman’s goals.

Staggered surgeries

Not all women are good candidates for immediate reconstruction. In most cases, a woman with a more aggressive form of breast cancer may still need to undergo additional treatments. To prioritize patient health, as well as reduce surgical complications, that individual will need to wait before scheduling a breast reconstruction. In these scenarios, waiting for treatments to finish is the best course of action. Research has shown that radiation therapy can change how the breasts look or feel. Similarly, chemotherapy can also change breast volume.

Know the risks

The biggest risks associated with breast reconstruction and breast cancer center around disease progression. Women with more advanced stages are encouraged to wait before scheduling a reconstruction surgery. Along with wanting to ensure that cancerous growths haven’t spread, breast implants are also known to create interference with treatment effectiveness. For these groups, experts recommend waiting 6-12 months after having a mastectomy before planning for a breast reconstruction surgery.

Finding a solution

The drastic profile change of a mastectomy is known to cause psychological damage to women already dealing with the strain of battling cancer. While immediate reconstruction may not be possible for all cancer patients, an intermediary solution exists which is known as the delayed-immediate reconstruction. The procedure is similar to a breast augmentation, yet doesn’t use traditional implants to maintain the breast profile. Instead, placeholder implants called spacers are inserted into the skin flaps left over from the mastectomy to support and maintain the remaining skin. The temporary surgical implants can be be left from a few weeks to several months until cancer treatment is complete and traditional implant reconstruction can proceed.

Get the facts

Breast cancer can be a scary diagnosis but when caught in time most women are able to make a full recovery with proactive treatment. For women who require mastectomies, the breast profile can be saved, even if the necessary procedures must be delayed to give the body time to respond to treatments and reach remission status. For more information on mastectomies, reconstructive surgeries and to receive a customized timeline catered to individual diagnoses, speak with both an oncologist and a board-certified plastic surgeon experienced in post-mastectomy breast reconstruction.