Mastectomy News and Research

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Mastectomy is surgery to remove the breast (or as much of the breast tissue as possible).

New York hospital offers at-home method for tissue expansion for breast reconstruction surgery

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center is the first hospital in the New York metro area to offer breast cancer survivors an at-home method for tissue expansion in preparation for breast reconstruction surgery. Patients use a remote control to gradually create a space within their chest wall for a breast implant.

1 Feb 2012

Study reveals substantial differences in rates of follow-up surgeries after partial mastectomy

A new study reveals substantial differences - by both surgeon and institution - in the rates of follow-up surgeries for women who underwent a partial mastectomy for treatment of breast cancer.

1 Feb 2012

Nearly one in four women have another surgery following partial mastectomy

Nearly one in four women who undergo a partial mastectomy for treatment of breast cancer have another surgery to remove additional tissue (reexcision), and there is substantial surgeon and institutional variation in the rate of reexcisions that cannot be explained by patients' clinical characteristics, according to a study in the February 1 issue of JAMA.

1 Feb 2012

General anesthesia may lower recurrence risk in patients with HCC

For patients undergoing a minimally invasive treatment for liver cancer, the risk of recurrent cancer appears lower with general anesthesia compared to regional (epidural) anesthesia, reports a study in the February issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

1 Feb 2012

Breast cancer survivors use at-home method to prep their breasts for reconstruction

31 Jan 2012

Fat grafting may reduce radiation-induced complications in breast implants

For breast cancer patients who have undergone radiation therapy, a new technique consisting of fat injection followed by implant placement may provide a much-needed alternative for breast reconstruction, reports a study in the February issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

30 Jan 2012

Study describes first known case of necrotizing fasciitis from bath salts

A study led by Russell R. Russo, MD, a third-year Orthopaedic Surgery resident at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Medicine, has identified a new source of life-threatening necrotizing fasciitis - "bath salts."

13 Jan 2012

Study reveals need for improvements in decision-making process for breast cancer surgery patients

According to the results of a new study published in the January 2012 issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, many early-stage breast cancer survivors lacked knowledge about their disease and were not meaningfully involved in treatment discussions or asked their preferences regarding the approach to treatment.

11 Jan 2012

Fear of cancer spurs breast implant recall

There are concerns regarding breast implants and the association with cancer. UP to 30,000 French women and perhaps tens of thousands more around the world may need to have defective breast implants removed after several suspicious cancer cases. The final decision on recall of the implants, produced by the Poly Implant Prothese (PIP) company will be made by the end of the week, after a report from France's National Cancer Institute on December 23.

21 Dec 2011

MDA doctors challenge breast cancer brachytherapy study

A recent study on a sophisticated form of radiation treatment for breast cancer is inaccurate and has caused unnecessary concern among many patients, according to four top physician researchers.

19 Dec 2011

Risk of breast cancer in the genetically predisposed

A new study showed that women who have been successfully treated for cancer in one breast and who carry the BRCA1 or BRCA2 cancer gene are at increased risk for developing cancer in their other breast.

12 Dec 2011

Breast cancer risks and management updates

A new report that looks at the environmental factors that affect risk of breast cancer is out. It suggests that women can reduce their risk by avoiding unnecessary medical radiation, forgoing hormone treatments for menopause that combine estrogen and progestin, limiting alcohol intake and minimizing weight gain.

8 Dec 2011

Study raises questions about breast cancer therapy

The study, which looked at Medicare records of more than 130,000 women, found that those who underwent the faster treatment, called brachytherapy, were about twice as likely to have a mastectomy in the following five years -

8 Dec 2011

First Edition: December 7, 2011

In the news today, a status check on the work -- including the Medicare doc fix -- that Congress still needs to attend to before leaving Washington for the holidays.

7 Dec 2011

Study compares two radiation therapy techniques available to women with breast cancer

Accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) brachytherapy, the localized form of radiation therapy growing increasingly popular as a treatment choice for women with early-stage breast cancer, is associated with higher rate of later mastectomy, increased radiation-related toxicities and post-operative complications, compared to traditional whole breast irradiation (WBI), according to researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.

7 Dec 2011

Breast reconstruction after mastectomy safe for older women

Breast cancer is on the rise and 48 percent of all breast cancers occur in women older than 65, but very few of them choose to have breast reconstruction. A new study from Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center sought to determine if breast reconstruction after mastectomy is safe for older women. The answer is yes.

7 Dec 2011

Novel breast cancer surgical technique now available in New England

Jennifer Gass, MD, chief of surgery at Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island and a breast surgeon with the Breast Health Center in the hospital's Program in Women's Oncology, recently completed a one-month sabbatical in Paris with the world-renowned breast surgeon Krishna B. Clough, MD, medical director of the Paris Breast Center.

30 Nov 2011

Just couple of glasses of wine a day could raise risk of breast cancer: Study

According to a new major study just two glasses of a wine a day can increase the risk of breast cancer among women by 50%. Researchers also warn that women who drink regularly in their 20s and 30s are far more likely to develop breast cancer in later life, regardless of whether they reduce their alcohol consumption.

7 Nov 2011

No significant evidence of breast cancer after nipple-sparing mastectomy

A modified mastectomy technique provides effective treatment for breast cancer while preserving the nipple and surrounding tissues for use in breast reconstruction, according to a report in the November issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

28 Oct 2011

Nipple sparing mastectomy safe and effective option for breast cancer treatment

A new study suggests some women needing a lumpectomy or mastectomy to treat their breast cancer have another potential option that is safe and effective, say researchers at Georgetown. They say the procedure known as a nipple sparing mastectomy is also a viable surgical option for women who choose to have their breasts removed because of their increased risk of developing the disease.

28 Oct 2011