This guide helps women decide whether to have a breast reconstruction procedure after mastectomy—and, if so, which one. For a decade The Breast Reconstruction Guidebook has been the best resource on this topic for women who have had a mastectomy. Equal parts science and support, it is filled with stories that illustrate the emotional and physical components of breast reconstruction. Readers will find advice about choosing a doctor and a procedure, insurance and payment issues, how to prepare for surgery, and what to expect during recovery. Expert commentary by physicians and insights from patients inform this book, as does the exhaustive research by the author, a two-time breast cancer survivor who has twice had reconstructive surgery. New in this edition are discussions of • the pros and cons of saline and silicone implants • solutions for post-lumpectomy cosmetic problems • new immediate-delayed reconstruction when post-mastectomy radiation may be required • the benefits and limitations of nipple-sparing mastectomy • considerations for direct-to-implant reconstruction • newly developed tissue flap procedures • who can best apply nipple and areola tattoos and why tattoos may not last • enriching fat with stem cells so it stays in the breast • patient-controlled tissue expansion • how insurance and health care reform affect reconstruction
The definitive guide to breast reconstruction. Since 2002, The Breast Reconstruction Guidebook has been the best resource on this topic for women who have had a mastectomy. Equal parts science and support, it is filled with stories that illustrate the emotional and physical components of breast reconstruction. Kathy Steligo, a gifted writer and breast cancer survivor who has twice had breast reconstruction, compassionately answers women's questions about how they will respond emotionally and physically to losing a breast, whether to treat or prevent breast cancer. Steligo provides detailed descriptions of the various surgical options for mastectomy and reconstruction, as well as information on choosing and paying for a surgeon, preparing for and recovering from surgery, and handling the many practical details and difficult decisions women will face along the way. A road map of the mastectomy and reconstruction journey, this book gives women the comprehensive, unbiased details they need to make their own informed decisions about whether reconstruction—and which reconstructive option—is right for them. Readers learn how breasts can be recreated using implants or their own tissue and the advantages and disadvantages of each option. Surgery timelines, recovery, and potential problems (and how they can be resolved) are also explained. A new foreword by Dr. Minas Chrysopoulo, MD, of the PRMA Plastic Surgery Center for Advanced Breast Reconstruction, highlights the book's strengths and offers a medical perspective on breast cancer and reconstructive surgery. The extensively updated text includes new discussions of • innovative reconstructive procedures • contralateral mastectomy • the benefits and limitations of nipple- and areola-sparing mastectomies • nipple delay procedure • patient-controlled tissue expansion • cohesive gel silicone implants • microsurgical advances that improve tissue flap procedures • fat grafting • nipple reconstruction • nipple and areola tattooing • reconstruction with the BRAVA system • pregnancy after TRAM • male mastectomy and reconstruction • decision making and solving cosmetic and medical post-op problems • surgical procedures that reduce the risk of cancer • the latest research data on mastectomy and reconstruction • and much more
All the information you need after mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery so that you can focus on what matters most: healing and staying well. Why am I so tired all the time? What about these drains? Should I worry about lymphedema? Your mastectomy (with or without reconstruction) doesnít end when you leave the operating room. In Now What?, Amy Curran Baker, an occupational therapist who has had a double mastectomy and direct to implant breast reconstruction, and her co-authors, two registered nurses, answer all of your post-surgery questions in this comprehensive and empowering guide. Now What? helps you: Consider your options and make the decisions that are best for you Deal with frozen shoulder syndrome, wound care, swollen lymph nodes, and other side effects of mastectomy Organize the nitty-gritty issues of wound management post-op care with helpful charts and logs Hear real stories from other breast cancer survivors who have had a mastectomy
"Providing comprehensive, current, and reliable information on breast cancer, this book, written by an experienced oncologist, a surgeon, and a breast cancer survivor, informs and inspires readers, wherever they are in the breast cancer experience. Patient stories, essays from medical specialists, and illustrations add clarity and insight"--
"Be informed. Be empowered. Be well." If you are concerned that the cancer in your family is hereditary, you face difficult choices. Should you have a blood test that may reveal whether you have a high likelihood of disease? Do you preemptively treat a disease that may never develop? How do you make decisions now that will affect the rest of your life? This helpful, informative guide answers your questions as you confront hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. Developed by Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE), the nation’s only nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer, this book stands alone among breast and ovarian cancer resources. Equal parts health guide and memoir, it defines complex issues facing previvors and survivors and provides solutions with a fresh, authoritative voice. Written by three passionate advocates for the hereditary cancer community who are themselves breast cancer survivors, Confronting Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer dispels myths and misinformation and presents practical risk-reducing alternatives and decision-making tools. Including information about genetic counseling and testing, preventive surgery, and fertility and family planning, as well as explanations of health insurance coverage and laws protecting genetic privacy, this resource tackles head-on the challenges of living in a high-risk body. Confronting hereditary cancer is a complex, confusing, and highly individual journey. With its unique combination of the latest research, expert advice, and compelling personal stories, this book gives previvors, survivors, and their family members the guidance they need to face the unique challenges of hereditary cancer.
The best-selling guide to mastectomy and reconstruction has been rewritten and updated. This new second edition retains all the comprehensive information of the original issue, along with new information about the latest implant and flap reconstruction procedures, how to find a surgeon who specializes in these new techniques, and much more.No woman wants to lose her breasts. But having a mastectomy doesn't have to mean living without them. How do you find answers about mastectomy and reconstruction when you're still overwhelmed by your diagnosis and treatment? How real will your new breasts look and feel? What if you don't want implants? How painful and how long is the process? Will your insurance cover all the costs? What is recovery like?The Breast Reconstruction Guidebook ha all the answers. Easy-to-read and easily understood, the text explains mastectomy and demystifies reconstructive options. Readers will understand the benefits and risks of different procedures, so they can determine which technique, if any, is right for them.
This unique and important guidebook is a single, comprehensive source of information and advice to help women (and some men) at high risk for breast and for ovarian cancer because of family history and genetic profile. One part memoir, three parts "how to" manual, Positive Results explains in a clear and steady manner the myths and realities of "the breast cancer genes." It lays out all the options in easy-to-follow, compassionate language. It will help women and men decide if they want to pursue genetic testing, guide them in interpreting their test results, and give them a sound basis for making the life-saving decisions required to manage their risks. Authors Joi Morris and Dr. Ora Karp Gordon cover all of the latest medical options, including genetic testing for breast cancer risk, breast cancer surveillance, assessing risk, mastectomy and breast reconstruction techniques, ovarian cancer surveillance, surgery, managing menopause, and cancer risks in men who carry mutations on BRCA genes. Along the way, Joi tells her personal story and that of other women and men who have made the gut-wrenching decisions required to survive in this world of astronomical risk. At the age of forty-two, Joi learned that she has a genetic mutation on a gene known as BRCA2. The test results meant that her risk of getting breast cancer could be as high as 84 percent by age seventy, and that her risk for ovarian cancer was also high. Compounding her risk was the fact that her mother had developed breast cancer in her forties. After much research and consultation, the result of which is this book, Joi made the difficult decision of undergoing prophylactic mastectomies. This straightforward and practical approach combined with the poignant personal experience of a woman at risk facing these challenging decisions will provide readers with the feeling that they have had the benefit of a long conversation with both a trusted physician and a friend who has just gone through the same uncertainties they are facing.
Oncoplastic and reconstructive surgery combines the most up-to-date techniques in plastic surgery with surgery for breast cancer, providing optimal oncologic and aesthetic results by means of a single procedure. This book demonstrates why oncoplastic surgery represents such an exciting tool for surgeons who undertake breast surgery. Fundamental principles and basic concepts are clearly outlined, and diverse techniques are presented by acknowledged experts from across the world. The emphasis is very much on a “how to do” approach, with detailed guidance and advice on the various techniques. The informative text is supported by a wealth of color illustrations, and accompanying videos of procedures are available via the publisher’s website. Reconstructive Breast Cancer Surgery will serve as an ideal reference work that will help surgical fellows and specialists to learn about indications and selection of patients, to master technical skills, and to manage complications effectively.
From an expert in the field comes the definitive guide to managing breast cancer in the information age—a comprehensive resource for diagnosis, treatment, and peace of mind. The breast cancer cure rate is at an all-time high, and so is the information, to say nothing of the misinformation, available to patients and their families. Online searches can lead to unreliable sources, leaving even the most resilient patient feeling uneasy and uncertain about her diagnosis, treatment options, doctors, side effects, and recovery. Adding to a patient’s anxiety is input from well-meaning friends and family, with stories, worries, and opinions to share, sometimes without knowing the details of her particular case, when in reality breast cancer treatment has gone well beyond a “one size fits all” approach. Elisa Port, MD, FACS, chief of breast surgery at The Mount Sinai Hospital and co-director of the Dubin Breast Center in Manhattan, offers an optimistic antidote to the ocean of Web data on screening, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Inside you’ll discover • the various scenarios when mammograms indicate the need for a biopsy • the questions to ask about surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and breast reconstruction • the important things to look for when deciding where to get care • the key to deciphering complicated pathology reports and avoiding confusion • the facts on genetic testing and the breast cancer genes: BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 • the best resources and advice for those supporting someone with breast cancer From innovations in breast cancer screening and evaluating results to post-treatment medications and living as a breast cancer survivor, Dr. Elisa Port describes every possible test and every type of doctor visit, providing a comprehensive, empathetic guide that every newly diagnosed woman (and her family) will want to have at her side. Praise for The New Generation Breast Cancer Book “One book you need . . . If you’re considering your options for treatment or know someone who is, this step-by-step guide, The New Generation Breast Cancer Book, is essential reading.”—InStyle “Elisa Port, M.D., is the doctor every patient deserves: brilliant and compassionate. Her book will be a sanity saver and, quite possibly, a life saver.”—Geralyn Lucas, author of Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy “As up-to-date as one can get, with lots to offer people facing a cancer diagnosis or hoping to support someone with the disease.”—Library Journal (starred review) “The New Generation Breast Cancer Book helps you sort through all the information you’ve gathered, clarify the terminology, consider the options, and make the right decisions for your unique case.”—Edie Falco “A lifeline for many women in need of today’s most up-to-date choices for treatment . . . Everyone should read this book for themselves, their mothers, grandmothers, daughters, and friends.”—Kara DioGuardi, Grammy-nominated songwriter, music executive, and Arthouse Entertainment co-founder “The book is teeming with easy-to-understand medical explanations, tips, takeaways, and pro-and-con discussions of various courses of action. Port also includes two extremely useful appendices that respectively take on common myths and answer questions frequently asked by friends and family. This is a vital read that will empower men and women alike.”—Publishers Weekly
