Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Prophylactic mastectomy and breast reconstruction options


The most prominent recent news related to breast cancer and breast reconstruction has been the mainstream story that Angelina Jolie has been diagnosed with the BRCA positive gene and that she underwent bilateral prophylactic mastectomy (removal of both breast tissue mounds) as well as breast reconstruction.  Her generous sharing of information related to this event in her life and that of her family has generated a lot of discussion of breast cancer detection, breast cancer treatment, and breast reconstruction.

Along with my plastic surgery colleagues at Advanced Aesthetic Associates, I founded Breast Resource Arizona (breastresourcearizona.org) as a source of information for breast health and breast cancer particularly aimed at local women and their families.  Within the breastresourcearizona.org site there is information that addresses many of the common questions that have arisen from the recent Angelina Jolie story including the BRCA gene, prophylactic mastectomy, and breast reconstruction options.

Breast cancer detection, treatment, and reconstruction have made tremendous clinical progress over the last decade and it continues to make advancements each year with the help of courageous patients and hard working surgeons and researchers.

All the best,

Dr Remus Repta