For example, despite research to the contrary, Dunnington notes that many patients and physicians continue to believe mastectomy is a superior option to breast preservation surgery in cases where the cancer is detected early. In fact, the NIH went so far as to say that breast preservation is the better option-all things being equal, it is better to save the breast. And recent studies continue to confirm this recommendation. A woman will come to us for a second opinion after being told she needs a mastectomy. At our Center, the patient learns that she does, in fact, have other options.
Education is one of our key objectives.
Breast cancer patients who do require a mastectomy have the choice of undergoing breast reconstruction, which is another area where misconceptions continue to exist. There is no increased risk in the recurrence of breast cancer and no decreased ability to monitor a patient for recurrence. One of our biggest challenges in the past decade has been convincing our peers of the safety and efficacy of breast reconstruction. In addition, since early detection methods were still unknown, most women had extensive metastasis that destroyed half the breast and invaded the chest wall. In the mid to late 1960s, breast cancer reconstruction increased dramatically.