Learning About Oncoplastic Surgery

Oncoplastic surgery is a type of breast cancer operation. It combines removing the cancer with cosmetic surgery to reshape the breast. The goal is to treat the cancer and make the breast look as natural as possible after surgery.

Whether this type of surgery is right for you depends on a number of things, such as:

• The size of your breasts.
• The size of the cancer and where it is in your breast.
• Whether you'll need more treatment after surgery, like radiation therapy.
• Your overall health and personal health history.
• The amount of breast tissue that needs to be removed. If there's too much cancer, you might need to have a mastectomy (surgery to remove the breast). In that case, you can choose to have breast reconstruction later.

Oncoplastic surgery can also address problems with your breasts that are not related to the cancer. These might include sagging breasts, breasts that are very different in size or shape, or very large breasts that make you uncomfortable.

Decisions about breast surgery are very personal. Talk with your doctor to make a plan you’re comfortable with.

Talk with your doctor about how you want your breast to look after surgery. Make sure you understand all the options and what they mean for you.

After you agree on a treatment plan, your doctor will take photos of your breasts. Then the doctor will draw on your breast with a special marker to show where your skin will be cut.

You may be able to go home from the hospital the day of the surgery. Or you might stay in the hospital overnight.

When you leave the hospital, you’ll get instructions for how to care for yourself at home. Be sure to follow them. Contact your doctor if you have any questions or any problems with your recovery. You may be able to go back to your normal activities after about two weeks.

Most people recover well from oncoplastic surgery. But like any surgery, there are some risks. These include:

• Infection.
• Bleeding.
• Problems with wound healing.
• Fluid buildup.
• Changes in the way your breast or nipple looks or feels.