Treatments & Surgical Procedures Oncoplastic Techniques

Patients may also have concerns about how surgery might affect their appearance. Two of our surgeons at the Comprehensive Breast Care center, Dr. El-Tamer and Dr Laura Klein, are fully versed in Oncoplastic Surgical techniques. These techniques are designed to give the patients an excellent cosmetic results while maintaining sound oncologic principles following major resection from the breast cancers.

This patient had cancer in both breasts. The right side was operated on at another institution and left the patient with visible indentation and deformity. Years later, Dr. El-Tamer removed cancer from her left breast using oncoplastic techniques, which resulted in the excellent appearance visible in the photo above.

This patient underwent oncoplastic surgery to remove a cancer from her right breast. The picture above shows the excellent cosmetic result three years later.

One key technique in this approach is the local advancement flap, long used during breast reduction surgery. With this technique, the surgeon removes the cancer, then rotates the remaining tissue to reconstruct the breast. This gives the woman an optimal appearance and leaves no indentations or defects. Oncoplastic techniques can give more women the option of lumpectomy with immediate local reconstruction, rather than mastectomy. In some cases, the surgeon may also reduce the size or alter the shape of the opposite breast in order to maintain a balanced appearance.

Women with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ), a noninvasive cancer, can also benefit from oncoplastic techniques. Because DCIS is distributed through the breast's ductal system, sometimes it can be difficult to excise. Removal of DCIS may require removal of a substantial amount of breast tissue, and some patients have traditionally had to undergo mastectomy. Now, the creative use of oncoplastic methods is allowing many women with DCIS to keep their breasts intact and with excellent results.

We also offer skin-sparing mastectomies which allow the surgeons to remove the breast while maintaining the overlying skin. This procedure, when combined with immediate breast reconstruction, gives patients a more satisfying cosmetic result after mastectomy.