The diagnosis of breast cancer or other disease of the breast is frightening in many different ways for women, but fortunately there are breast reconstruction techniques available today that can improve appearance and renew self-worth. New surgical procedures and devices have made it possible for surgeons to create a breast that comes very close in form and appearance to a natural breast. Reconstruction is frequently possible immediately following removal of the breast or mastectomy. The type of procedure depends on body type, age, and type of cancer treatment, and the best candidates for post-mastectomy breast reconstruction are women whose cancer seems to have been eliminated. There are many options to explore however; it’s not a simple procedure and time should be taken for deep consideration.
Some women find themselves uncomfortable weighing all the possible options, or they are struggling to cope with the diagnosis, while others don’t want to have any more surgery than absolutely necessary. Women with health conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, or who have other chronic illnesses may be advised by their surgeons to postpone breast reconstruction, especially if breast is being rebuilt in a more complicated procedure using flaps of skin and underlying tissue. A breast mound is formed by using an implant, a silicone sac filled with salt water or silicone gel, or tissues from the belly, back, or buttocks. Reconstruction also takes more than one surgery due to extra steps required to add a nipple, change the shape or size of the reconstructed breast, or operate on the opposite breast for a better match. Even though a reconstructed breast does not have natural sensations, the surgery offers a result that looks like a breast, and most women are glad they had reconstructive surgery.
All surgery carries some uncertainty and risk, including bleeding, fluid collection, excessive scar tissue, or difficulties with anesthesia, all of which are relatively uncommon. According to comprehensive online sources, breast reconstruction has no known effect on the recurrence of disease in the breast either, and it doesn’t interfere with chemotherapy or radiation should the cancer recur. There are many options to consider, and women need to be comfortable with the option they choose before proceeding. Good information on breast cancer, breast reconstruction, and treatments can be found online at www.plasticsurgery.org, www.breastcancer.org, or the National Institute of Health at www.nlm.nih.gov. There’s an abundance of pictures, illustrations, and information designed to give women the facts necessary to make an informed decision about breast reconstruction and if it’s right for them.
Tags:
Breast Cancer,
cancer treatment,
chemotherapy,
diagnosis of breast cancer,
mastectomy breast
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Make a list of what you want to know, what you need to know, and what you already know about breast cancer research.
Have you ever noticed how many people you hear about that are inflicted with cancer? It seems that every week we hear of someone that has been diagnosed with some form of cancer. It seems that the occurrences are becoming more frequent rather than less frequent even though there have been many years of cancer research, studies and treatments. The prevention of cancer does not seem to have made many advancements. We have a better understanding of the causes of some cancers such as lung cancer as well as skin cancer but many other forms of the disease seem to not have an explanation of why they begin.
I have been very fortunate in my family. We have not had issues with the different forms of cancer to any large extent. My brother-in-law had a patch of cancerous cells removed from his skin. This was a minor surgery and the cancer was stopped. Recently my cousin who is like another sister to me was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her mothers family has a history of this disease. The ironic thing is that my cousin has been involved in breast cancer research for twelve years. She has a degree in pharmaceutical research. She did a fellowship working on different ways of manufacturing synthetic insulin. Once she was done with her fellowship she was hired by a drug company to help with breast cancer research.
From now until the now until the end of this article, take the time to think about how all of this information can help you.
This company manufactures on of the drugs that is used in the chemotherapy process for victims of breast cancer. Because the company is involved in administering the drug it has many patients available to track regarding the breast cancer research. My cousin is trying to find similarities between the people that are diagnosed with breast cancer. She is also working on the profiles of the people that seem to respond well to the treatments and for those that do not. The hope is that if a common denominator is found regarding who responds well and why this can be shared with those that are not doing as well. As my cousin has been involved with the breast cancer research she has noticed how much the attitude of the person plays into their treatment and recovery.
Those that have a positive attitude are much more likely to tolerate the medications and have a smoother adjustment. Those patients that are negative about their treatments or pessimistic about their survival rate often do not respond to the medications. My cousin told me that those that hear cancer and feel that this is a death sentence usually do die from their disease. When it comes to cancer the mind certainly plays a huge role.
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Tags:
Breast Cancer,
breast cancer research,
cancer research studies,
cancerous cells,
chemotherapy
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