Breast reconstructive surgery should be a proud, victorious, and happy moment of your life. You’ve beaten cancer and survived, and you can get back to living your life now. Unfortunately, the American Cancer Society has released stats that show that up to 20% of breast cancer survivors will end up with recurrent cancer, of the 2.5 million survivors in the US.
Before a patient decides to undergo breast reconstruction, they must first ask their doctors about the chances of cancer cells returning. Most people will be relieved to find out that having breast implants does not increase their chances of having breast cancer again. According to the American Cancer Society, using tissue from other body parts or getting breast implants is not a factor when it comes to breast cancer recurrence.
Any time you have surgery to remove breast cancer in Dallas, whether you undergo reconstruction or not, it’s important that you monitor your breasts for signs of new growths. Be sure that you check yourself regularly and that you get a regular mammogram in order to detect any possible new signs of cancer. If you don’t know how to perform your own checks, you can search the web and find videos and articles that will teach you how.
Patients with breast cancer may still be hesitant whether they should go through breast reconstruction or not and it is important to find others who have already undergone the process. See if you can find other women who’ve had Dallas breast cancer surgery or reconstruction then got a recurrence of breast cancer and discuss their situation with them. Find out what these women’s doctors said regarding the recurrences and if their doctor linked the recurrence with the breast reconstruction surgery. It would help you out a lot to speak with someone who’s experienced what you are about to go through as a patient of breast cancer in Dallas.
Another option is to read through medical resources, which are readily available over the internet to aid you in your decision-making. WebMD is a good place to start if you want to learn about breast reconstructive surgery advantages and disadvantages. The website of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is a great place to search for information about breast cancer in Dallas. The site features testimonials from other women whose breast cancer cells returned and their respective recommendations on what decisions to make after breast cancer surgery. You can also look for reviews of different doctors and surgeons on Angieslist.com. Here you can search through different doctors and surgeons reviews done by previous patients. With the amount of information available over the internet, you’ll have enough information to help you make the right decision.