What Is Breast Oncoplasty

Breast oncoplasty or oncoplastic breast reconstruction comprises of a new surgical approach that combines the principles of cancer surgery and plastic surgery, with the aim of optimizing cancer cure while maintaining the shape and symmetry of the breast.

Breast Oncoplasty has expanded the scope of breast conserving surgery (BCS), by reducing both mastectomy (complete breast removal) and re-surgeries rates, while avoiding breast deformities.

Use of oncoplastic techniques has radically changed and expanded the boundaries of breast conservation surgeries and is now the preferred method of breast conservation world-wide.

Breast oncoplasty can be classified into Volume displacement and Volume replacement techniques.

• Volume Displacement- oncoplastic reconstruction for breast conservation from mobilization of breast tissue and reshaping.

Some of these techniques are:

• Therapeutic mammoplasty
• Benelli’s or round block techniques
• Grisotti’s procedure
• Batwing or Omega mammoplasty
• Racquet type mammoplasty
• Vertical reduction mammoplasty (breast lift technique)
• Lateral mammoplasty and many more.

• Volume Replacement- involves more advanced techniques that allow resection of up to 50% of the breast volume and replacing it with other body tissues (autologous flaps).

Various factors contribute to the decision regarding the type of oncoplastic procedure recommended for a patient like breast size and shape, breast ptosis (sagging of the breast), tumor-breast ratio, tumor biology, skin quality, smoking, age and weight of patient and other co-morbidities.