Dr. Silverstein Describes Oncoplastic Surgery

Melvin J. Silverstein, MD, FACS, director, Breast Program Hoag Memorial Hospital, professor of surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, describes oncoplastic surgery.

Oncoplastic surgery is a combination of oncologic (cancer-removing) surgery and plastic surgery. In the past, surgeons were taught to remove a tumor in the breast at any cost.

The new approach is for surgeons to care about both getting the tumor out at an adequate margin and to make the breast look good. Rather than simply excising the tumor and closing the breast, surgeons design an operation that uses plastic surgical techniques in order make the breast look as good or better than before the operation.

Normally, this is done with a reduction excision, as most breasts are a little larger or ptotic than what the patient desires. A surgeon can do an oncoplastic reduction excision and achieve an adequate result.

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