Current Considerations for Breast Reconstruction in Breast Cancer Patients

In the next year, approximately 250,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States 1]. The majority of these women will be recommended partial or total mastectomy as a component of their cancer treatment. The goal of breast reconstruction is to rebuild and/or reshape the breast mound to correct the mastectomy defect for physical and psychological reasons. There are a number of reconstructive options available to patients who desire breast reconstruction, including implant-based procedures, autologous tissue reconstructions, or a combination. Additionally, oncoplastic procedures are a recent advance in the field of breast-conserving therapies that further refines our ability to resect breast cancer while preserving the form of the breast. Because planning the reconstruction depends on the type of resection performed and the amount of tissue remaining after mastectomy, the breast surgeon, reconstructive surgeon, and the patient collectively should discuss reconstructive goals and how these can be achieved after the patient’s oncologic surgery.