“Oncoplastic” both treats and boosts the confidence of “breast cancer” patients in a single surgery.

Did you know that according to medical statistics, Thai women like us have an increasing risk of breast cancer every year? It can occur from the late 20s up to 80 years old, with the highest incidence between 35-50 years. Another concern for women, almost as much as the cancer itself, is having to remove the breast.

But with a new method called Oncoplastic Breast Surgery, which is breast-conserving surgery, patients have the opportunity to keep their breasts after the malignant tumor is removed. In cases where breast reduction is needed due to excessively large breasts causing health problems, this is also an interesting alternative.

Although breast cancer may not cause pain in the early stages, what we can observe ourselves first is when abnormalities appear in the breast, such as a lump, changes in size and shape, wrinkles, dimpling, shrinkage, scaly skin, itchy or unusually red nipples, blood or discharge from the nipple, or even swelling in the armpit. These should be suspected as warning signs of breast cancer. It is best to see a doctor as soon as possible.

The doctor said, “The patient was a 40-year-old woman with cancer in her left breast. She chose breast-conserving surgery. Since she had large breasts causing back and shoulder pain that affected her daily life, the doctor planned to remove the cancerous tumor without removing the breast and simultaneously reduce the breast size so the patient wouldn’t have to endure multiple painful procedures.” The result was that the patient was able to return to normal life without the back pain she had experienced before.

In every breast cancer surgery, the doctor must clearly consider the surgical approach first. “The focus is no longer on destroying the breast as before but on completely removing only the malignant tumor to preserve the breast’s original condition as much as possible, whether through oncoplastic surgery or breast reconstruction.”

Although this surgery is effective, it is not suitable for all patients, such as those with multiple tumors in the breast who may need complete removal to prevent spread to other areas.

The best prevention and care, the doctor recommends, is regular self-breast examination every month. If any abnormalities are found, see a doctor immediately. Women aged 35 and above should also have an annual mammogram with a specialist to help prevent breast cancer.