Oncoplastic Surgery

Breast Reconstruction

Oncoplastic Surgery

Oncoplastic surgery is breast reconstruction performed at the same time as a lumpectomy.

In many cases, a lumpectomy can leave a significant breast deformity. This deformity is often made worse by the radiation therapy that typically follows a lumpectomy.

During an oncoplastic procedure, the lumpectomy tissue is removed in a way that allows the plastic surgeon to perform a simultaneous breast reduction or lift. This avoids unwanted cosmetic deformities and simultaneously creates the most cosmetic result possible.

Good Candidates For Oncoplastic Breast Surgery Include:

larger breasted patients
patients who have tumors located away from the nipple/areola
patients who have only one tumor. (Patients who have more than one cancer in different parts of the breast, known as “multi-centric disease”, are not good candidates)

Patients with small breasts (A or B cup) are not usually candidates for oncoplastic surgery as they typically do not have enough breast tissue left behind after the lumpectomy to rearrange into a cosmetically appearing breast. Correcting the lumpectomy defect in an acceptable way can be impossible in small breasted patients. These women are therefore often better served by a mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction for the best cosmetic results.

As with breast reconstruction after a mastectomy, oncoplastic surgery is usually best performed by a breast surgeon-plastic surgeon team experienced in these procedures. Most patients usually also need a breast reduction or lift of the other breast to achieve the closest breast symmetry. This is usually performed at the same time as the oncoplastic surgery.