Plastic Surgery After Cancer
Plastic Surgery After Cancer
Plastic Surgery After Cancer
Cancer surgery always means removing the tumor, but it often also affects healthy tissue around the tumor. Operations and other cancer treatments can change how you look and how your body works. Physical changes can affect your emotional and physical recovery.
If the part of the body affected by cancer is highly visible or vital to how your body works, you may need reconstruction. Your cancer surgeon may team up with a plastic surgeon to restore your body's look and function.
Carilion Clinic plastic and reconstructive surgeons are often integral to cancer care. They can help design a care plan focused on your needs and goals.
Cancer surgery always means removing the tumor, but it often also affects healthy tissue around the tumor. Operations and other cancer treatments can change how you look and how your body works. Physical changes can affect your emotional and physical recovery.
If the part of the body affected by cancer is highly visible or vital to how your body works, you may need reconstruction. Your cancer surgeon may team up with a plastic surgeon to restore your body's look and function.
Carilion Clinic plastic and reconstructive surgeons are often integral to cancer care. They can help design a care plan focused on your needs and goals.
Plastic surgery after cancer is not cosmetic surgery. The goal of cosmetic surgery is to change how you look when you don't have a disfiguring condition.
Your care team does plastic surgery after cancer treatment for medical reasons. The goal is to restore how you look and how your body works. Reconstructive surgery is part medicine and part art form. Our plastic surgeons are highly skilled and experienced.
A plastic surgeon may also work with your cancer surgeon to help reduce damage during surgery. Frequently, they're in the operating room when cancer surgery takes place.
Reconstructive surgeries to rebuild body parts are often complex. Many times, they involve taking tissue from other parts of your body. Our surgical teams can do wonders by refashioning tissues into graceful and functional new body parts.
Sometimes, we can't use your tissue to rebuild. When that happens, we work with a prosthodontist to create an artificial body part (a prosthesis).
What Is Plastic Surgery After Cancer?
Plastic surgery after cancer is not cosmetic surgery. The goal of cosmetic surgery is to change how you look when you don't have a disfiguring condition.
Your care team does plastic surgery after cancer treatment for medical reasons. The goal is to restore how you look and how your body works. Reconstructive surgery is part medicine and part art form. Our plastic surgeons are highly skilled and experienced.
A plastic surgeon may also work with your cancer surgeon to help reduce damage during surgery. Frequently, they're in the operating room when cancer surgery takes place.
Reconstructive surgeries to rebuild body parts are often complex. Many times, they involve taking tissue from other parts of your body. Our surgical teams can do wonders by refashioning tissues into graceful and functional new body parts.
Sometimes, we can't use your tissue to rebuild. When that happens, we work with a prosthodontist to create an artificial body part (a prosthesis).
Plastic surgery is a common part of care for several types of cancer.
Breast reconstruction surgery
Breast cancer is the most common cancer that includes plastic surgery as a regular part of care. Depending on the type of breast cancer surgery, you may need to reshape or rebuild the breast.
If a cancer surgeon removes a tumor from your breast (lumpectomy), you may need breast reshaping. This can improve the appearance of your breasts and help make them more even. It may involve a breast reduction or lift.
If the surgeon removes the whole breast (a mastectomy), you'll need breast reconstruction. This set of surgeries rebuilds your breast.
You have several choices:
- Reconstruction with implants: Uses saline or silicone implants
- Reconstruction with autologous tissue: Uses tissue from your body (stomach or back)
- Combination of implants and autologous tissue: Uses both tissue and implants for a natural look and feel
You may have options as to when your breast surgery takes place:
- Immediate reconstruction: The surgery happens around the same time as your breast removal. This isn't always an option.
- Delayed reconstruction: You wait until you have healed to begin reconstruction. You can have your surgery months or even years later.
Other cancers that may need reconstructive surgery
Other common cancers that may need reconstruction include:
- Head and neck cancer: Cancers of the head and neck can need facial reconstruction. We may need to rebuild bones or skin on your face, nose, jaw, or mouth.
- Urologic cancer: A surgeon can reroute urine flow by creating a new bladder using a piece of your intestine.
- Skin cancer: Cutting out skin cancer can leave large pits or sunken skin. Plastic surgery for skin cancer includes rebuilding the area.
- Bone cancer: Limb salvage means we can often save limbs after surgeons remove a bone cancer.
- Vaginal cancer: If we remove all or part of your vagina, we can use other tissue to rebuild it.
Types of Plastic Surgery After Cancer
Plastic surgery is a common part of care for several types of cancer.
Breast reconstruction surgery
Breast cancer is the most common cancer that includes plastic surgery as a regular part of care. Depending on the type of breast cancer surgery, you may need to reshape or rebuild the breast.
If a cancer surgeon removes a tumor from your breast (lumpectomy), you may need breast reshaping. This can improve the appearance of your breasts and help make them more even. It may involve a breast reduction or lift.
If the surgeon removes the whole breast (a mastectomy), you'll need breast reconstruction. This set of surgeries rebuilds your breast.
You have several choices:
- Reconstruction with implants: Uses saline or silicone implants
- Reconstruction with autologous tissue: Uses tissue from your body (stomach or back)
- Combination of implants and autologous tissue: Uses both tissue and implants for a natural look and feel
You may have options as to when your breast surgery takes place:
- Immediate reconstruction: The surgery happens around the same time as your breast removal. This isn't always an option.
- Delayed reconstruction: You wait until you have healed to begin reconstruction. You can have your surgery months or even years later.
Other cancers that may need reconstructive surgery
Other common cancers that may need reconstruction include:
- Head and neck cancer: Cancers of the head and neck can need facial reconstruction. We may need to rebuild bones or skin on your face, nose, jaw, or mouth.
- Urologic cancer: A surgeon can reroute urine flow by creating a new bladder using a piece of your intestine.
- Skin cancer: Cutting out skin cancer can leave large pits or sunken skin. Plastic surgery for skin cancer includes rebuilding the area.
- Bone cancer: Limb salvage means we can often save limbs after surgeons remove a bone cancer.
- Vaginal cancer: If we remove all or part of your vagina, we can use other tissue to rebuild it.
Your care team will review how cancer treatment may affect your body. They can help you decide whether plastic surgery after cancer is right for you and what to expect.
The types of surgeries used and recovery expected can vary greatly.
Risks of plastic surgery
All surgery comes with risks. Your surgeon will explain the risks of your procedure. Our surgeons take the safest approach to get the best results. Your care team will review their plan to reduce your risk of complications.
What Should I Expect?
Your care team will review how cancer treatment may affect your body. They can help you decide whether plastic surgery after cancer is right for you and what to expect.
The types of surgeries used and recovery expected can vary greatly.
Risks of plastic surgery
All surgery comes with risks. Your surgeon will explain the risks of your procedure. Our surgeons take the safest approach to get the best results. Your care team will review their plan to reduce your risk of complications.
Carilion brings a team approach to plastic and reconstructive surgery. Our surgeons have more than 75 years of combined experience working with people living with cancer.
Board-certified
Roanoke Valley's largest group of plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Our plastic surgeons perform thousands of surgeries each year. We serve both adults and kids.
Breast expertise
We offer all aspects of breast reconstructive surgery. We do breast microsurgery with perforator flaps, nipple-sparing mastectomies, direct-to-implant reconstructions, and fat grafting.
Head and neck team
We have the region’s first head and neck reconstruction program. Our team of experts works together using microsurgical techniques.
Why Choose Carilion Clinic?
Carilion brings a team approach to plastic and reconstructive surgery. Our surgeons have more than 75 years of combined experience working with people living with cancer.
Health and Wellness
The Four Pillars of Cancer Survivorship
What Not to Say to Someone With Cancer
The Psychological Impact of Cancer
Get Care at Carilion Clinic
Your path to better health starts here. Explore comprehensive care options and find the support you need for every step of your wellness journey.
Get Care at Carilion Clinic
Your path to better health starts here. Explore comprehensive care options and find the support you need for every step of your wellness journey.
Get Care at Carilion Clinic
Your path to better health starts here. Explore comprehensive care options and find the support you need for every step of your wellness journey.
Get Care at Carilion Clinic
Your path to better health starts here. Explore comprehensive care options and find the support you need for every step of your wellness journey.