Clearing up what they call a gray area, three leading cancer organizations have clarified which women benefit from radiation after mastectomy.
Here’s an important less-discussed issue for thousands of women who undergo lumpectomy and radiation. Reconstruction is best done in stages after surgery, an MD Anderson team finds. We explore the issue of delayed reconstruction in our upcoming book, Breast Cancer Surgery and Reconstruction: What’s Best for You” coming June 16.
A new type of internal radiation, or brachytherapy, under study in the U.S. holds hope of shortening a woman’s radiation treatment for breast cancer to a single dose implanted during surgery. Now, radiation typically requires six weeks of daily treatment, an imposition for some women and a factor in many choosing mastectomy over a more sparing lumpectomy.
Radiation also is an important factor in good breast reconstruction outcomes. We will keep you apprised of any news about the effect of single versus standard dose radiation on reconstruction outcomes.
