I have a small 8 mm invasive ductal carsonoma ER+ PR+ HER2-. It will be removed soon. I have very small breasts and believe surgery will result in a very noticeable defect even though the tumor is small. I'd like to have fat transfer as soon as it is safe to do so. Is fat transfer safe after cancer? Will fat transfer help the radiated breast look and feel normal?
January 25, 2016
Answer: Fat transfer after lumpectomy and radiation You will need to wait about 3-6 months after radiation to have fat transfer to the defect.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
January 25, 2016
Answer: Fat transfer after lumpectomy and radiation You will need to wait about 3-6 months after radiation to have fat transfer to the defect.
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
February 21, 2016
Answer: 3-6 months Radiation therapy can cause problems in the breast in terms of the blood supply and contraction of tissues. The longer you can wait the better, but obviously you don't want to walk around with a defect forever. I think 6 months is probably safe for fat transfer. And yes, fat actually can improve the quality of the radiated skin. The thing to consider is radiation therapy can constrict the breast and lift it and make it smaller and tighter. Even by injecting fat you may not be able to stretch that skin back out to its pre-radiation state. If you had large breasts I would recommend an oncoplastic breast reduction. With small breasts you might want to consider a mastectomy or even a bilateral mastectomy. This is obviously something that you need to discuss with your oncologic decision. If a large lumpectomy is done on a small breast, it is going to leave it very asymmetric, and fat alone may not treat it. One option would be a mastectomy and reconstruction with tissue from your belly to give you a very natural look that will match the other side. Depending on your family history and discussions with your surgeon, performing a bilateral mastectomy and then reconstruction with your own tissue or even implants, will give you a more symmetric look. Its hard to get a radiated reconstructed breast to match the other side. Good luck in your decisions, and I hope your recovery goes well.
Helpful
February 21, 2016
Answer: 3-6 months Radiation therapy can cause problems in the breast in terms of the blood supply and contraction of tissues. The longer you can wait the better, but obviously you don't want to walk around with a defect forever. I think 6 months is probably safe for fat transfer. And yes, fat actually can improve the quality of the radiated skin. The thing to consider is radiation therapy can constrict the breast and lift it and make it smaller and tighter. Even by injecting fat you may not be able to stretch that skin back out to its pre-radiation state. If you had large breasts I would recommend an oncoplastic breast reduction. With small breasts you might want to consider a mastectomy or even a bilateral mastectomy. This is obviously something that you need to discuss with your oncologic decision. If a large lumpectomy is done on a small breast, it is going to leave it very asymmetric, and fat alone may not treat it. One option would be a mastectomy and reconstruction with tissue from your belly to give you a very natural look that will match the other side. Depending on your family history and discussions with your surgeon, performing a bilateral mastectomy and then reconstruction with your own tissue or even implants, will give you a more symmetric look. Its hard to get a radiated reconstructed breast to match the other side. Good luck in your decisions, and I hope your recovery goes well.
Helpful