Breast Surgery Options
The Las Vegas Review-Journal recently shared a story about a patient of Comprehensive Cancers and the oncology practice’s physician, Josette Spotts, MD, FACS. The patient who had no history of cancer in her family was shocked when a small lump in her breast led to a diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer.
The patient, Dianna Cross, discovered an aggressive form of cancer with a 91 percent growth rate. An especially challenging cancer, triple-negative breast cancer means the growth of the cancer is not fueled by the hormone’s estrogen and progesterone, or by the HER2 protein. Triple-negative breast cancer does not respond to hormonal therapy medicines or medicines that target HER2 protein receptors.
As with most breast cancer diagnoses and treatment plans, a significant challenge for patients comes from working through treatments toward a normal life in remission. For the next year, many decisions would be made for Dianna based on the type of cancer she had. However, one bright spot came from an unexpected source: her surgeon Dr. Spotts identified Dianna as a good candidate for bilateral nipple-sparing mastectomy due to her small breast size, which would help in both her treatment as well as a return to normalcy after treatment concluded.
“There are so many things you are presented with, a lumpectomy or mastectomy, and being able to keep my nipples made it better somehow,” Dianna said. “I was keeping a part of me that would help me be comfortable with myself after going through all of this terrible stuff.”
Dr. Spotts noted the farther the nipple is from the blood supply, the greater the risk that it will not survive and get enough blood. The best candidates for this surgery are women whose tumor does not involve the nipple or the tissue under the areola, those whose tumors are surrounded by a clear margin of tissue that is cancer-free, and those who have not been diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer or advanced breast cancer.
This surgical advancement for patients undergoing removal of their breasts has helped the breast surgery team at Comprehensive Cancer Centers treat and support many local women in their recovery feel more empowered after surgery. A small incision is made, and all of the breast glandular tissue is then removed from beneath the overlying skin and attached nipple.
Traditionally, the nipple-areola complex is not preserved after the breast tissue is removed to take out cancerous tissue or to reduce the risk of a future cancer diagnosis. With the nipple-sparing mastectomy, the tissue beneath the nipple is immediately tested. If it is found to be clear of cancerous cells, it is spared and reattached after reconstruction surgery, which was the case in Dianna’s diagnosis and treatment. The patient then decided to have a nipple-sparing mastectomy treatment option after researching with her oncologist and conferring with Dr. Spotts.
“It was beautiful to have a wonderful team of doctors in line and all with the same goals and that they all agreed it was a good option for me,” Dianna said. “It’s hard enough to lose a part of you, but it is just tissue, and we get to live longer. But having the nipple [is] something that is comforting.”
Cross had surgery on July 23 and was relieved to learn one week later that there was no evidence of the disease and she would not need to undergo radiation treatment. In a few months, she will receive implants.
“I had to go through this terrible, terrible thing, but we caught it early enough to where it’s not a bad thing,” she said. “Every step of the way is unnatural, so being able to keep the nipple makes you feel some control.”
The advancements in surgical procedures for breast cancer such as this nipple-saving surgery are hopeful and helpful.
“For the younger population, it is important,” Dr. Spotts said. “It really is a big deal in society, and for some women it makes them feel more confident, more themselves after all that they have gone through.”
Comprehensive Cancer Centers Can Help
Comprehensive Cancer Centers provide a variety of treatment options for breast cancer including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Additionally, clinical research may provide more options for some. To learn more about research studies currently conducted at Comprehensive Cancer Centers, click here. To schedule an appointment with the team at Comprehensive, please call 702-952-3350.
The content is this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
