identified by first name only to protect her place several months after the mastectoprivacy, decided to be tested a year after my. Candidates usually have stage III or
her mother passed away from breast can- IV cancer and those using radiation thercer. To her surprise she
apy can achieve the best
tested BRCA positive.
cosmetic results at a
She decided to underlater date. The time off
go a mastectomy, or
allows the chest to heal
the removal of a breast
as much as possible afINCREASED CANCER
or part of a breast, and
ter the radiation.
RISKS ASSOCIATED with
immediate reconstrucBRCA1 & 2
Once a candidate has
tion, which reduced
the option to undergo
WOMEN
her risk by 97 percent.
Breast Cancer
breast reconstruction,
“I knew for myself
that I wanted to take
care of my four children,” Michelle explained. “I did not want
to walk in my mother’s
footsteps. I wanted to
change history for my
family and for my three girls.”
Fallopian Tube Cancer
Peritoneal Cancer
Ovarian Cancer
there are several options to choose from.
Some techniques may
MEN
be less painful and proBreast Cancer
vide a quicker recovery
Prostate Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer
for the patient. For example, The DIEP Flap
procedure, or the Deep
Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap proMichelle’s proactive choice to get tested cedure, is currently the most advanced
for BRCA, go through a mastectomy and surgical technique and allows patients to
reconstruction gave her the opportunity heal faster. Unlike other procedures, the
DIEP Flap procedure is beneficial because
to see her kids grow up.
patients are able to preserve all of the abDespite early detection some women dominal muscles. During the DIEP Flap
will still need to have a mastectomy or procedure, only skin and fat from the ablumpectomy – the removal of a tumor and domen are removed – similar to a tuma small amount of normal tissue around my tuck. By keeping the abdominal musit. Fortunately, medicine has evolved so cles, the patient will experience less pain,
quickly in recent years that there are now maintain their core strength, and have a
numerous types of breast reconstruction faster recovery.
procedures. These techniques can recreate
a more natural looking and feeling breast
and areola.
85% of breast
There are two kinds of breast reconstruction: Immediate and Delayed. Immediate reconstruction is performed at
the same time as the mastectomy. The
advantages include keeping natural breast
tissue, less scarring as well as nipple-sparing mastectomy which preserves the nipple and areola. The patient wakes up from
the surgery without the experience of
having a flat chest. Women with Stage I or
II are typically candidates for immediate
breast reconstruction.
Since PRMA has had such renowned
success they have patients fly in from all
over the country to receive their care. Erica, another PRMA patient who will be
identified by first name only to protect
her privacy, initially had her breast reconstruction in Alaska, but she had limited
options and was not pleased with her results.
Erica explains, “I had breast implants.
They were not setting properly and they
were shaped funny.”
Because she was not able to go to a
breast reconstruction specialist in Alaska,
she was in a constant state of discomfort.
After doing some research online, Erica
learned about the DIEP Flap reconstruction technique at PRMA. Soon after, she
flew to San Antonio to reconstruct her
breasts.
“The entire staff at PRMA changed my
life and my outlook on myself,” says Erica.
“My self-image is higher now than what it
was before I walked through these doors.”
If you do end up testing positive for
BRCA1 or BRCA2, it is important to be
screened for breast cancer on a regular basis. Luckily, Dr. Chrysopoulo and the surgeons at PRMA know the most advanced
breast reconstruction techniques to give
you the most natural results.
cancers occur in
women who have
no family history
of breast cancer
Delayed reconstruction usually takes
2014 | Volume 2 | Edition 1
BEST DOCS NETWORK
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