Quality of life is a huge concern for many people dealing with the issue of breast cancer. Consider a recent article titled “Double Mastectomy Slightly Improves Breast Cancer Patients’ Quality Of Life, And That’s If Followed By Reconstructive Surgery.”
The author of the article writes, “Double mastectomies are more popular than ever, according to a new study published in theJournal of Clinical Psychology — so why aren’t more breast cancer patients happy after their surgery? Researchers from the Duke Cancer Institute (DCI) cited 11.2 percent of women who elect mastectomy for unilateral breast cancer — that’s cancer in a single breast — opt to also have the other, healthy breast removed. This is formally known as a contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM), which women most commonly elect based on physician advice, fear of cancer recurrence, or a desire for symmetry. Since the surgery has become more popular, researchers were curious to see if this decision positively affected women’s quality of life after the fact. Nearly 4,000 women were recruited to participate from the Love/Avon Army of Women, a group of volunteers that work to promote participation in breast cancer research; women were an average age of 57, predominantly white, and were mostly in the early stages of breast cancer. Women were given the BREAST-Q survey tool that ‘assesses the unique outcomes of breast cancer surgery patients,’ including psychosocial well-being, physical well-being, sexual well-being, and breast satisfaction — the symmetry, appearance, and fit in a bra. Participants also self-reported personal and clinical data, including their diet, exercise habits, as well as their breast cancer history. Overall, 21 percent of participants reported undergoing a CPM and 31 percent reported no CPM. The majority of women who elected CPM had done so at the time of initial diagnosis and treatment, while nearly 11 percent had CPM at the time of recurrence or secondary diagnosis. And researchers ultimately found CMP did not improve quality of life among women who did not also elect reconstructive surgery.”
When it comes to breast reconstruction, you need a surgeon you can trust. Rex E. Moulton Barrett, M.D. is internationally known and acknowledged. He is board certified with The American Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and The American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.
Dr. Moulton-Barrett offers a number of breast reconstruction options, including immediate and delayed reconstruction. For more information, contact us for a consultation.