A new type of anti-breast cancer surgery that doesn't alter the overall look of the breast has now been proven to be as safe and effective as total breast removal. It's the surgery Hollywood star Angelina Jolie took in 2013.
Better Cosmetic Option
In a landmark study conducted by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, surgeons confirmed that the nipple-sparing mastectomy does in fact prevent aggressive cancer growth as safely and as effectively as more drastic forms of anti-breast cancer operations. The surgeons came up with the conclusion after analyzing 45 years' worth of data from 348 women who collectively underwent 551 mastectomies.
"This modern technique is safe, and it can give an excellent cosmetic result to patients who want to reduce their risk of breast cancer,' lead researcher Dr. James Jakub shared with Daily Mail. "We'd have expected a number of these women to develop breast cancer by now. These findings suggest that this type of mastectomy is very safe."
Not a single woman had developed breast cancer after undergoing bilateral nipple-sparing surgery and having follow-up operations three to 36 years down the line. Those who did develop breast cancer were the ones who already had malignant growths prior to their surgery.
Surgery Leaves Room For Reconstruction
During the nipple-sparing surgery, surgeons carefully remove as much breast tissue as they can. For smaller-breasted patients, an incision is made at the underside of the breast where the breast tissue will be extracted.
The tissue is pulled from the muscle then separated from the skin. For larger breasts, an incision is made across the front of the breast where the breast tissue will be extracted from.
Both surgeries leave patients with a natural skin envelope, which can be filled with either breast implants or the patient's own tissue from another body part. In Jolie's case, she underwent reconstructive surgery on both breasts 2 months after having the bilateral nipple-sparing surgery.
Today reported than when Jolie's breast tissue was removed, surgeons put in saline-based tissue expanders in her breasts to help fill the skin envelope. It remained that way for a period of time before being replaced by breast implants later on.
