Breast Reconstruction In Israel
If the decision was made about a radical mastectomy , you should make another decision that completely depends on your choice: to perform breast reconstruction immediately during removal surgery or to perform it as a separate operation after a mastectomy.
Breast reconstruction is a surgical procedure aimed at restoring the volume of the breasts, nipple and areola. The new breast should resemble the original in shape and size.
Covid 19 Pandemic Breast Cancer Consortium
On March 24, 2020, the American College of Surgeons published COVID-19 Guidelines for Triage of Breast Cancer Patients. The guidelines were developed by the COVID 19 Pandemic Breast Cancer Consortium, which comprises representatives from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers , the Commission on Cancer , the American Society of Breast Surgeons , and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network . The guidelines are divided into the following three phases:
As a general recommendation, the guidelines advise that determination of patients case status be made by a multidisciplinary team, ideally in a multi-clinician setting . This multidisciplinary discussion should be documented in the medical record.
Phase I
In this setting, the hospital has few COVID-19 patients, its resources are not exhausted, it still has ICU ventilator capacity, and the COVID-19 trajectory is not in rapid escalation phase. Here, the guideline recommends restricting surgery to patients whose survival is likely to be compromised if their procedure is not performed within the next 3 months.
In phase I, cases that need to be done as soon as feasible include the following:
- Patients finishing neoadjuvant treatment
Krzysztof Moroz, MD Professor of Pathology, Director of CytopathologyDisclosure: Nothing to disclose.
Chemotherapy Before Breast Cancer Surgery Might Fuel Metastasis
When breast cancer patients get chemotherapy before surgery to remove their tumor, it can make remaining malignant cells spread to distant sites, resulting in incurable metastatic cancer, scientists reported last week.
The main goal of pre-operative chemotherapy for breast cancer is to shrink tumors so women can have a lumpectomy rather than a more invasive mastectomy. It was therefore initially used only on large tumors after being introduced about 25 years ago. But as fewer and fewer women were diagnosed with large breast tumors, pre-op chemo began to be used in patients with smaller cancers, too, in the hope that it would extend survival.
But pre-op chemo can, instead, promote metastasis, scientists concluded from experiments in lab mice and human tissue, published in Science Translational Medicine.
The reason is that standard pre-op chemotherapies for breast cancer paclitaxel, doxorubicin, and cyclophosphamide affect the bodys on-ramps to the highways of metastasis, said biologist John Condeelis of Albert Einstein College of Medicine, senior author of the new study.
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Sentinel Lymph Node Removal
Doctors frequently perform a sentinel lymph node removal during breast-conserving surgery for invasive breast cancer. Lymph nodes are part of the lymphatic system, which consists of organs and vessels that drain excess fluid from tissues and help the body fight infections.
Before surgery, doctors inject a radioactive tracer. During surgery, they may inject a blue dye. The tracer travels through the breast tissue to nearby lymph nodes under the arm. The first several nodes to absorb the tracer are called the sentinel nodes because if cancer spreads outside the breast, it is likely to spread to these nodes first.
Doctors can find this node or nodes using a gamma probe, a device that can detect the radioactive tracer. This helps doctors determine where to make an incision. The blue dye further helps them identify the correct node or nodes to remove during surgery.
Doctors remove the sentinel nodes through a small incision under the arm to see if they contain cancer. If they dont, then no further lymph nodes need to be removed.
If cancer is found in the sentinel nodes, your surgeon may discuss with you whether another procedure, called axillary lymph node dissection, is needed to remove additional nodes where cancer may have spread.
Optimal Wait Time Before Surgery
We lead busy lives. Some people wonder if they can wait until an upcoming vacation to have surgery, or until their children are back in school. Others hope to wait until their insurance kicks in at a new job, or until they are able to find insurance. And not everyone feels quite ready to have surgery right after being diagnosed.
The average wait time until surgery has actually been increasing, with the average delay being 21 days in 1998, 31 days in 2003, and 41 days in 2008.
How long can you wait? Let’s look at studies of overall survival as well as special groups.
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Defining A Sentinel Lymph Node Mapping In Israel
For successful cancer treatment, it is very important to know whether the cancer cells have spread to the lymph nodes, as this fact affects recovery, as well as the further treatment and follow-up after mastectomy.
The technique that allows you to clarify this is called the lymphatic mapping: the detection and removal of sentinel lymph nodes and their pathological examination during or after surgery. Mapping is done using radioactive material, blue paint, or both for maximum accuracy.
If cancer cells have managed to penetrate the lymphatic system, it is most likely that they first are localized in the lymph nodes, known as sentinel, as they are close to the tumor of the mammary gland, and therefore their careful detection and examination is more accurate than superficial inspection of all nodes.
A minimum amount of material is injected into the area around the tumor and, using appropriate medical equipment, the Institute of Nuclear Medicine doctor and surgeon map this area. The surgeon removes only stained lymph nodes and sends the sample for pathological examination.
In cases where cancer cells are not found in the sentinel nodes at the end of a complete thorough examination, it is highly likely that all other lymph nodes in the armpit are also not infected, so there is no need to remove them. This issue should be cleared up at the doctors consultation. Removal of the sentinel nodes has a very low complication rate.
What Is The First Treatment For Breast Cancer
Traditionally, weve done surgery first, then treatments such as chemotherapy, says breast cancer specialist Stephen Grobmyer, MD. But for certain patients, it makes sense to reverse the order and do chemotherapy first. Neoadjuvant therapy starts with a basic idea: Shrink a tumor first, then surgery becomes easier and more likely to succeed.
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Ovarian Ablation Or Suppression
In women who have not yet experienced the menopause, oestrogen is produced by the ovaries.
Ovarian ablation or suppression stops the ovaries working and producing oestrogen.
Ablation can be done using surgery or radiotherapy. It permanently stops the ovaries from working and means you’ll experience the menopause early.
Ovarian suppression involves using a medicine called goserelin, which is a luteinising hormone-releasing hormone agonist .
Your periods will stop while you’re taking it, although they should start again once your treatment is complete.
If you’re approaching the menopause , your periods may not start again after you stop taking goserelin.
Goserelin comes as an injection you have once a month.
Why Should I Get Radiation After Surgery
Most people have radiation treatments after lumpectomy surgery to destroy any remaining microscopic cancer cells. This combination is a standard treatment option for women with breast cancer. . It effectively treats cancer while preserving more of how your breast looks and feels.
Research has shown lumpectomy plus radiation offers long-term survival rates that are similar to those who have a mastectomy .
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Inflammatory Breast Cancer Treatment
Inflammatory breast cancer is an uncommon and aggressive type of breast cancer caused by cancer cells blocking lymph vessels in the skin.
All IBC cases are classified as at least stage 3 breast cancer. If the cancer is metastatic , its considered stage 4.
Treatments for IBC depend on what stage the cancer is in.
Things You Might Not Know About Delayed Breast Reconstruction
Whether its been 20 days or 20 years since your lumpectomy or mastectomy,youre likely a candidate for reconstruction.
More than 70 percent of women who forgo reconstruction at the time of theirbreast surgery dont know its an option,dont have access to a plastic surgeon, or are focused and worried about managing their diagnosis, saysGedge Rosson, director of breast reconstruction at Johns Hopkins.
Rosson and his colleagueMichele Manahanshed some light on what most people may not know about delayed breastreconstruction:
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Possible Complications From Mastectomy
Lymphatic edema is swelling of the hand and arm that restricts movement and causes pain. The swelling is usually mild and goes away with time, but rarely lasts long or remains permanently. Damage to a nerve in the area of the surgery, which can cause a tingling or numbness sensation in the chest and arm that resolves over several weeks or months.
Below Are The Questions You Can Ask Your Plastic Surgeon:
- What breast reconstruction methods are available and what are the risks?
- What are the pros and cons of each method?
- What kind of recovery am I being offered and why?
- If I am offered reconstruction with an implant, how long the implant serves?
- Is the nipple removed during surgery? Can it be restored and by what methods?
- Can reconstruction complicate future diagnosis with mammography or other imaging aids?
- Can resection and reconstruction be performed in one operation?
- Will recovery affect my physical status and function? How many working days I have to skip?
- Will I be limited in my daily life at home and with the family?
- Can I see pictures of reconstructed breast?
Over the years, the techniques used for reconstruction after mammary glands cancer surgery have become more sophisticated. However, some women choose to avoid further surgery, live with a surgical scar, and use an artificial breast .
The decision to undergo reconstructive surgery is usually based on motives related to the personal feelings of the woman and / or her partner. The plastic surgeon will explain to you which reconstruction options are right for you and which surgical procedures are needed. As with any operation, the healing process requires general anesthesia and hospitalization.
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Nipple And Areola Reconstruction In Israel
It is also possible to repair the nipple and areola . This process is usually performed at a later stage, when the reconstructed breast takes its final shape. This way you can determine the most accurate nipple position and fit it to the nipple of a healthy side.
The doctor usually suggests waiting about three months before performing a nipple reconstruction. Nipples can be repaired in a variety of ways, such as by using reconstructed breast skin, a portion of the nipple from a healthy breast, or the skin behind the ear.
Areola reconstruction is performed by grafting skin taken from the groin area, or more often using a color tattoo, which avoids further surgery. Silicone nipples that are glued to the reconstructed breast also may be used in Israel. Each woman makes a choice according to her personal feelings and comfort.
Treatment For Stage 0 Breast Cancer
There is a variety of treatment options for stage 0 breast cancer, including:
Surgery
A lumpectomy involves removing cancerous cells from the breast. It is an option when the cells remain in one area. This is a relatively short and simple procedure, and a person should be able to go home after the surgery on the same day.
If cancerous cells appear throughout the breast, the doctor may recommend a mastectomy, which involves removing the entire breast. Plastic surgeons can rebuild the breast at the same time or a later date.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy can help kill cancer cells and inhibit them from spreading. A person will typically undergo radiation therapy once the breast surgery site has healed. This is usually 4-6 weeks after surgery.
Hormone treatment
The hormone estrogen, found naturally in the body, can impact some types of breast cancer. If a person has estrogen receptor-positive or progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer, a doctor may suggest hormone treatment in addition to surgery.
The person may also require radiation therapy to manage the levels of these hormones in the body.
Stage 1 breast cancer means the cancerous cells are invading the surrounding breast tissue. Stage 1 breast cancer has two subcategories 1A and 1B.
People with stage 1A breast cancer have breast cancer with:
- A tumor measuring no more than 2 centimeters in diameter that has not spread outside the breast.
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Short Wait For Breast Cancer Surgery Seems Safe
By Amy Norton, Reuters Health
4 Min Read
NEW YORK – Women newly diagnosed with earlier-stage breast cancer can take a few weeks to prepare for surgery without raising the odds that their tumor will progress, a new study suggests.
There are a number of reasons that a womans surgery for breast cancer might be delayed. She might want to get a second opinion, for example, or her doctors may need to make sure any other medical conditions are under control and shes healthy enough for surgery.
But whether those short-term delays can allow a womans tumor to progress has not been clear.
In the new study, researchers found that of 818 women treated at their center, there was no evidence that a modest delay before surgery gave breast tumors time to grow and spread.
Clearly, rapid treatment is desirable, said senior researcher Dr. Funda Meric-Bernstam of M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
However, she told Reuters Health, taking a few weeks to coordinate care is safe. Its very unlikely there will be tumor progression.
The findings, published in the Annals of Surgery, offer women reassurance that they do not need to rush into surgery before they are ready.
Meric-Bernstam said that patients often have questions about the safety of delaying surgery for a short time.
Some women want to get a second opinion, but feel that they dont have time, she said.
There are caveats from the current study.
SOURCE: bit.ly/kc9rxa Annals of Surgery, online April 13, 2011.
How To Care For A Postoperative Wound
After mastectomy, the nurse will advise you on the care of the surgical wound. It, as well as the drainage entrance area, must be washed daily with soap and water. After rinsing, dry the area thoroughly and gently without rubbing. Do not apply ointments, creams, or deodorant to the surgical wound or drain entry area. The surgical wound can be left open or covered with a dry bandage.
Empty the drains at least once every 24 hours. The medical staff will also ask you to make a quantitative report of the discharge from the wound in one day.
Ensure that the drains are optimally sealed and that a vacuum is maintained in them. Secure the drains so that they do not move.
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Wire Localization To Guide Surgery
Sometimes, if the cancer in your breast cant be felt, is hard to find, and/or is difficult to get to, the surgeon might use a mammogram or ultrasound to guide a wire to the right spot. This is called wire localization or needle localization. If a mammogramis used you may hear the term stereotactic wire localization. Rarely, MRI might be used if the mammogram or ultrasound are not successful.
After your breast is numbed, a mammogram or ultrasound is used to guide a thin hollow needle to the abnormal area. Once the tip of the needle is in the right spot, a thin wire is put in through the center of the needle. A small hook at the end of the wire keeps it in place. The needle is then taken out. The surgeon uses the wire as a guide to find the part of the breast to be removed.
The surgery done as part of the wire localization may be enough to count as breast-conserving surgery if all of the cancer is taken out and the margins are negative. If cancer cells are found at the edge of the removed tissue , more surgery may be needed.
It should be noted that a wire-localization procedure is sometimes used to perform a surgical biopsy of a suspicious area in the breast to find out if it is cancer or not.
There are other ways a surgeon can be guided to the tumor, but these techniques are newer and not used in every facility.
Delay In Surgery And Tumor Growth: Her2 And Triple Negative Tumors
The optimal time between diagnosis and surgery can also be looked at from the standpoint of tumor growth, although the doubling rate varies between different tumors.
A 2016 study, though it didn’t look at survival, did evaluate the growth rate of breast cancers during wait time for surgery by ultrasound measurements. In this study, the average wait time between diagnosis and surgery was 31 days .
The average diameter and volume of tumors at diagnosis was 14.7 millimeters and 1.3 centimeters vs. 15.6 millimeters and 1.6 centimeters.
The growth rate of different tumors based on receptor status, however, was very different:
- Triple-negative tumors: 1.003 percent growth each day
- HER2 positive tumors: 0.850 percent growth each day
- Luminal B/A tumors : 0.208/0.175 percent growth each day
As noted, tumors that were triple negative or HER2 positive grew much faster. This was also linked to an increase in stage based on size between diagnosis and surgery, with 18 percent of triple-negative tumors increasing versus only 2 to 3 percent of estrogen receptor positive tumors changing. Since stage is linked with survival rates, this study also supports earlier surgery, especially for people with triple negative or HER2 positive tumors.
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