At the close of Breast Cancer Awareness month, we bring you a story of hope for the millions of women who are diagnosed with this disease. Most breast cancer patients undergo some form of mastectomy, or surgical removal of breast tissue, during treatment. Breast reconstruction is a popular solution for breast cancer survivors to help restore a feeling of normalcy after surgery, but it comes at a price.
All breast implants, whether silicone or saline, must be replaced every 10-15 years, and recent research has shown that they can even cause cancer themselves. The only other alternative, autologous tissue flaps, involves taking fat tissue from elsewhere in the patient’s own body to reconstruct a breast. This process can cause damage and complications both at the donor site and in the breast itself, often because the transplanted tissue fails to get enough blood flow in its new location. In short, there are no safe, long-term solutions on the market for breast cancer survivors.
