An easier path to breast reconstruction surgery

The nation’s first multidisciplinary outpatient service for post-surgery breast reconstruction was launched at the Pudong branch of the Shanghai Cancer Center on Thursday, offering one-stop consultations and guidance for breast reconstruction.

Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer for women, many of whom believe the cancer leads to losing one or both breasts.

“In addition to women's rising demand for their figures and improved doctors' skills, more and more breast cancer patients have higher demand for their post-surgery quality of life," said Dr Wu Jiong, a leading expert on the multidisciplinary service. "Breast cancer treatment has developed from pure to comprehensive, focusing on both treatment and women's figures. Breast reconstruction surgery can help women who have had mastectomies regain their curves and confidence.”

According to Wu, breast reconstruction is an important surgery in breast surgery departments, and more than 40 percent of patients receive the reconstruction surgery in the United States.

The Shanghai Cancer Center was one of the first hospitals in China to introduce the surgery in 2004, which has become a common practice in the breast surgery department. So far, more than 12 percent of breast cancer patients in the hospital have received breast reconstruction surgery, and the five-year survival rate is the same as those who have received traditional therapy.

“During surgery, patients can either receive breast implants or have their breasts rebuilt using their own tissue,” Wu said, “It's a therapy based on respect for patients’ preferences and other key medical factors."

Experts say breast reconstruction is not merely plastic surgery. Ensuring effective treatment of the underlying breast cancer is the top concern. All patients who receive breast cancer treatment can apply for reconstruction, which can be conducted soon after breast cancer surgery or later.

Ti Gong