One in eight US women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
Overcoming breast cancer is a personal journey with choices along the
way. There are choices about the type of breast surgery, the need for
additional treatments and options for breast reconstruction. Research
has found that breast reconstruction contributes to a woman's
self-esteem and sense of wellbeing; however, more than 70 percent of
women eligible for breast reconstruction are not told about all of their
options.
Cancer
The media frequently heightens awareness of breast
cancer, but awareness doesn't always translate into a positive impact on
health care. Agreeing or disagreeing that Angelina Jolie Pitt's
decision to surgically remove her ovaries and fallopian tubes to prevent
ovarian cancer was a heroic and courageous move is a matter of
perspective. However, in between the lines of Angelina's latest article
in the NY Times ("Angelina Jolie Pitt: Diary of a Surgery", NY Times,
March 24, 2015) lies a subtler message... KNOWLEDGE IS POWER AND WOMEN
NEED TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR OWN PHYSICAL HEALTH.
Cancer
This is a dialogue we
need to have with ourselves. Angelina Jolie Pitt made choices consistent
with her history and lifestyle. As the Delphic Maxim on the Temple of
Apollo reads "Know thyself." Each person is driven by different motives
and sensitivities, personally unique to their individual circumstances.
There is always more than one way to deal with any health issue. The
most important thing is to learn about your options and choose what is
right for you and your loved ones.
Cancer
Every woman diagnosed with
breast cancer should seek a referral to a plastic surgeon to learn about
all of her reconstructive options before her cancer is treated and
removed. Breast reconstruction after mastectomy or lumpectomy generally
falls into two categories: implant based reconstruction or
reconstruction using a person's own tissue, also known as autologous reconstruction.
Autologous reconstruction can be subdivided into flap reconstruction,
total reconstruction with autologous fat transfer, or a combination of
the two. Reconstructive techniques are not necessarily mutually
exclusive, and often techniques are combined to give the best result.
Cancer
Breast
reconstruction is staged which means more than one surgery will need to
be performed to reconstruct the breasts to a more natural shape and
size. Not all plastic surgeons are the same, and in one's weakness lay
another's strength. Speaking to more than one plastic surgeon may help a
woman affected by breast cancer (and her family) see the picture
through a wider lens.
Cancer
As health care professionals, we are here to
help you make the decisions that will give you the best quality of life
in the long run. In closing her article Jolie Pitt poignantly wrote,
"It is not easy to make these decisions. But it is possible to take
control and tackle head-on any health issue. You can seek advice, learn
about the options and make choices that are right for you."
Cancer Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9000452
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