From an interview with
Dr. Hugh Willcox
Pee Dee Surgical Group

If you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer, your cancer care team will discuss your treatment options with you. It’s important that you think carefully about each of your choices and weigh the benefits of each treatment option against the possible risks and side effects. General surgeon Dr. Hugh Willcox explains.

“When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, surgery is usually the first line of treatment. The surgical options range from a lumpectomy to a mastectomy. A lumpectomy, also known as breast conserving surgery, involves removing the tumor and a small amount of normal tissue surrounding it. This procedure is often followed by radiation therapy. These women have minimal pain and return to normal activity quickly.

If the cancer is more advanced, or if a woman prefers, a mastectomy may be performed to remove the entire breast. Breast reconstruction is usually performed when women undergo a mastectomy.”

According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, breast reconstruction often involves multiple procedures performed in stages and can either begin at the time of mastectomy or be delayed until a later date. Breast reconstruction generally falls into two categories: implant-based reconstruction or flap reconstruction. Implant reconstruction relies on breast implants to help form a new breast mound. Flap (or autologous) reconstruction uses the patient’s own tissue from another part of the body to form a new breast.

If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, let the nationally accredited and recognized McLeod breast health program guide you to the best possible outcome. To learn more about your surgical options, speak with a surgeon near you.