Nipple Sparing Mastectomy

A breast cancer diagnosis is difficult for both the patient as well as her family. Innovative breast reconstruction programs and methods continue to evolve with the hopes of giving patients more options after a breast cancer diagnosis. According to an ABC news report nipple sparing mastectomy has become a viable option for some patients when choosing a breast reconstruction options. According to the story a new study that was published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery discovered that for some women who need a lumpectomy or mastectomy there could be another option known as nipple sparing mastectomy or NSM. “Nipple sparing mastectomy as compared to other forms of mastectomy is becoming more common, and the surgery is usually successful in terms of achieving good breast reconstruction with a low risk of complications,” said Dr. Scott Spear, chairman of the department of plastic surgery at Georgetown University Hospital and co-author of the study. “There’s a low risk of finding breast cancer or disease beneath the nipple in those patients who are offered nipple sparing mastectomy.” One of the primary concerns with allowing the skin and nipples to stay intact is that the recurrence for cancer could increase in the future. Researchers made an effort to review 169 NSM surgeries with the intent of discovering the risk for recurrence of breast cancer. They discovered that there were no cancer recurrences and no new cancers on average for two and a half years after women had undergone the procedure. According to the story psychological studies have shown that after having nipple sparing mastectomy, women who were compared to those who had traditional mastectomy had a much more positive outcome and appearance of their breast. Not every woman who has a mastectomy is a candidate for NSM. The procedure is heavily dependent upon many factors which include the size of the cancer, the size of the breast, and the location of the cancer within the breast. The American Cancer Society agrees that the procedure is a good one for patients who qualify, but overall expresses worry over the number of women undergoing radical mastectomies when there are other breast conserving and nipple concerning options. Dr. Seify works closely with patients to help them understand their options for breast cancer reconstruction. As a state-of-the-art breast reconstruction practice, Dr. Seify offers patients some of the most innovative options available today. These include fat grafting options as well as stem cell therapies. It is important for patients to understand the value of schedule a consultation from breast cancer reconstruction immediately upon their breast cancer diagnosis. The earlier a patient is aware of their options the more control they will have over their outcome. Patients who are diagnosed with breast cancer and are considering breast reconstruction are encouraged to contact Dr. Seify and schedule a consultation.