This week, James E. Craigie, MD, of The Center for Natural Breast Reconstruction answers your question.
Question: My daughter was diagnosed with DCIS and Stage 2 in lymph nodes. She's taking 6 rounds of chemo. She may need a mastectomy and then radiation. If she needs reconstruction, can she do mastectomy and reconstruction at same time?
Answer: Thank you for your question; I'm sorry to hear your daughter is going through treatment for DCIS. If she needs to have radiation after her mastectomies, then it is possible to start the reconstruction process at the time of the mastectomies. In general, most would recommend immediate reconstruction with an implant or expander. After the radiation, the reconstruction can be continued with a permanent implant, or her own tissue depending on what option is best for her.
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