Fat injection for breast reconstruction-bc risk

besa · January 2016

"For women undergoing breast cancer surgery, a technique called lipofilling—using the patient's own fat cells to optimize the results of breast reconstruction—does not increase the risk of recurrent breast cancer, reports a study in the February issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)........"

"Our results provide new evidence that lipofilling, used as part of breast reconstruction, is a safe procedure that does not increase the risk of recurrent or new breast cancer after mastectomy," Dr. Kronowitz comments. While highlighting the need for further research, the researchers hope their findings will encourage more plastic surgeons to use lipofilling to provide the best possible results of breast reconstruction for their patients undergoing breast cancer surgery."

swimmersmom94 · February 2016

My breast surgeon says that although the lipo filling would not be the cause if the cancer were to come back, he said if any cells escaped during surgery, it's possible they could attach to the fat. Has anyone ever heard this? My plastic surgeon also says this as well. I'm scheduled March 22nd and am confused on whether to go through with it or not.

KBeee · February 2016

Read the studies carefully. There was one subgroup who showed a statistically significant increase in locally recurrent cancer, those on hormone therapy (Tamoxifen, etc). I was on Tamoxifen and did undergo lipofilling. I did have a local recurrence less than a year later. Do I think it was the cause? No. The problem for me was that for some reason they still do not know, I developed several lumps several weeks after the procedure. They biopsied them expecting fat necrosis, but it just came back as inflammation. For some reason, my body made a lot of inflammation, and these lumps made it hard to detect new lumps, which really complicated things. They probably would not have detected my recurrence because they thought it was more of the same, but it felt different to me, so I insisted on a biopsy (thankfully). That is my only word of caution. I do NOT think my case is the norm. I know lots of women who've had it with no problems.

swimmersmom94 · February 2016

thank you for your input. I was wondering or a little confused, you said in 2013 you had a mastectomy, then in 2015 you had a lumpectomy. Maybe I am reading it wrong? I had a BMX nipple sparing in Sept. 15 and exchange in Dec. After final pathology, stage 0 dcis in situ, clear margins, no node involvement and no meds.

Fat injection for breast reconstruction-bc risk

Comments

Categories