Breast Cancer Patients Less Likely to Die From the Disease

Breast cancer survival rates continue to improve. A new study found that breast cancer patients are more likely to die of other causes, rather than breast cancer. According to a recent online industry article the looming thought of cancer recurrence may be the overriding fear for many survivors. According to recent study, nearly half of cancer survivors died from other conditions.

Breast Cancer Patients Are Likely To Survive and Thrive

These results show that survivors could possibly benefit from a more complete, less cancer-focused treatment plan for their health, according to lead researcher Yi Ning, M.D., Sc.D., assistant professor in the department of epidemiology and community health at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and associate research member at VCU Massey Cancer Center in Richmond, Va. Ning presented the results at the AACR Annual Meeting 2012, held in Chicago March 31 — April 4. “We realized that the mortality rates for some types of cancer, such as breast cancer, had declined,” said Ning. “Cancer survivors live much longer than they did several decades ago. So with this large group of cancer survivors, we need to pay more attention to cancer survivors’ overall health.”

Breast Cancer Patients Receive Comprehensive Care

This preliminary research is promising for breast cancer survivors. Often women are confused about breast reconstruction options and whether it makes sense to proceed with breast reconstruction when they perceive a gloomy prognosis. This study reiterates what the medical community has stressed for quite some time now. With better technology, and better methods for treating cancer patients they can expect to survive and also enjoy a good quality of life. Dr. Seify meets patients at different points in their breast cancer diagnosis. The ideal situation is meeting a patient upon diagnosis. This allows Dr. Seify to review breast reconstruction options in detail with the patient. At this point Dr. Seify is also able to work closely with the radiologist, oncologist and general surgeon who typically perform the breast surgery. A team approach is the ideal situation for the patient and all of the doctors involved. This allows the patient to benefit from the expertise of each doctor knowing that they all have a common goal. Dr. Seify will discuss breast implants, tissue expanders, Tram flap methods, fat grafting using stem cell research among other related topics, in detail with each patient. Currently national statistics report that only 30% of all women who are diagnosed with breast cancer actually have breast reconstruction. While there are many reasons this may be the case, Dr. Seify and staff are committed to encouraging patients to consider every option following breast cancer diagnosis and make their decision based on a positive outlook for their mortality. Dr. Seify and his staff are available to assist patients throughout the entire plastic surgery reconstructive or cosmetic experience.