APRIL 2007

Emory surgical oncologist Dr. Toncred Styblo and plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Albert Losken are among a select group of surgeons performing oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery. Developed primarily in Europe and gaining popularity in the U.S., the procedure combines breast cancer surgery and reconstructive surgery during the same operation, enabling patients to save their breasts and avoid mastectomy. Working together, a breast cancer surgeon and plastic surgeon remove the cancerous tumor, immediately reconstruct the defect and reshape the breast using the patient's own tissue.

"Breast cancer surgeons are typically faced with two conflicting issues," said Dr. Losken. "Their primary goal is to remove as much tissue as possible for effective cancer control, while at the same time trying to preserve breast tissue to prevent a poor aesthetic outcome. When a plastic surgeon and a surgical oncologist work together as a team, we are able to address these issues simultaneously and maximize both the cancer and cosmetic outcomes."

Dr. Styblo has been performing oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery for nearly 15 years. "This procedure enables us to obtain generous tumor-free margins, which is an important indicator of success in breast cancer surgery, and to reconstruct the breast immediately," she said. "Not every patient qualifies for the surgery, but recent advances in breast-conservation, radiation therapy and reconstructive options are making it feasible for more women than ever before."

In a 2005 study published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology, surgeons from the European Institute of Oncology in Milan, Italy, concluded that "oncoplastic surgery adds to the oncological safety of breast-conserving treatment because a larger volume of breast tissue can be excised and a wider negative margin can be obtained. It is especially indicated for large tumors, for which standard breast-conserving treatment may have a high probability of leaving positive margins."

<<::Back to 2007 Notable News and Achievements

return to top