More Breast Cancer Surgeons Learning Plastic Surgery
The Wall Street Journal reports a growing number of oncology surgeons are learning how to cosmetically repair breasts after they’ve removed tumors. This training allows the same doctor to treat a patient’s breast cancer and perform breast reconstruction during a single surgery instead of requiring another operation at a later date.
Oncoplastic surgeons are cancer surgeons who take additional courses to learn plastic surgery techniques. Advocates of oncoplastic surgery say having removal and reconstruction done together speeds both a woman’s psychological and physical recovery.
Costs and risks of complication are also reduced because fewer operations are needed.
Some cancer treatment centers without oncoplastic surgeons already offer oncoplastic surgery services, but the procedures must be conducted by two different doctors — one oncologic surgeon and one plastic surgeon. However, a shortage of reconstructive surgeons in rural and midsize cities means this option is not available in many areas.
A spokesman for the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) says the group applauds surgical oncologists trying to improve patient satisfaction, but ASPS cautions health care consumers that no professional board certification currently exists for the oncoplastic specialty. Prospective patients should ask about the specific qualifications of the provider(s) performing any oncoplastic procedure. As the spokesman said,
“To think a surgeon can learn how to do this in a weekend course is unwise.”
Michael McGuire, MD, FACS
American Society of Plastic Surgeons
American Cancer Society (ACS) statistics indicate that more than 180,000 women and nearly 2,000 men in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. To learn more about the disease and its treatment options, visit their web site at www.cancer.org.
Source: Wall Street Journal Health Blog
Related Links: MayoClinic.com; Reuters; ASPS.org; WSJ.com
Technorati Tags: aesthetic surgery, BRCA-1 BRCA-2, ductal carcinoma in situ, lumpectomy and mastectomy, mammoplasty, multidisciplinary approach; women’s health
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