Think Pink: Reconstructing Hope for Breast Cancer
You might think that because of awareness campaigns and earnest research on the causes and treatment of breast cancer, women would have a good sense of what their options are these days. To be sure, it’s not a happy thing to dwell on, and anyone hearing the word “cancer” from their doctor for the first time has a hard time hearing anything else, but it still surprises me that the reconstruction option isn’t brought up often enough when mastectomy is being considered. Recent statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reveal that as many as 70 percent of women are not being offered information about their reconstructive options at the time of their diagnosis. Yet at the same time, statistics also show that more women are choosing mastectomy.
This latter point may be easier to understand, even if it seems drastic at first glance. For years, there was a big push to “breast conserving therapy” which consisted of “lumpectomy” (surgical removal of the tumor) and radiation treatment. Surgeons recommending mastectomy were considered unenlightened. But radiation is not exactly a fun experience, consisting of weeks of visits and significant side-effects for some. What’s more, the result is not always a soft, natural breast but sometimes a hardened, contracted one. Additionally, advances in genetic testing enable better prediction of who is at risk for developing cancer in the opposite breast, so some women decide it’s better to just take them both off and be done.
Of course, the decision for reconstruction is a personal one, but studies over the years reveal that it contributes in measurable ways to recovery from cancer and overall well-being. In any case, making an informed decision about it requires that one knows what the options are. The controversy about breast implants has largely died down in the wake of numerous large studies confirming their safety and subsequent FDA approval of silicone gel implants. Some women may do well with reconstruction using their own tissue, though these procedures are much bigger operations with longer recovery times. Regardless of the decision, breast reconstruction is a federally mandated insurance benefit, underscoring the importance of the reconstruction option in a woman’s recovery.