Breast Cancer & Recon
Let’s walk through the breast cancer journey together and learn about the breast reconstruction options you could choose from.
Reconstruction Patient
Breast Cancer & Recon
Let’s walk through the breast cancer journey together and learn about the breast reconstruction options you could choose from.
Reconstruction Patient
At Motiva® we believe in women’s empowerment and freedom to be in control of their breast health and in the democratization of breast reconstruction solutions. That is why it is our commitment to bring them awareness on breast cancer, its early detection, and the innovative breast recon options they can choose from during their journey.
Explore and click through to get to know more.
What is breast cancer?
Breast cancer is the development of abnormal cancerous cells that grow uncontrolled within the breast tissue and develop into a tumor. Although some tumors can be non-cancerous (benign), other tumors, known as malignant tumors, are life-threatening.
Breast cancer most commonly begins in the cells that line the milk ducts and lobules within the breast; however, in some cases, cancer cells can invade healthy tissues and make their way into nearby lymph nodes and other parts of the body1.
Common surgical treatments of breast cancer2
Removal of the tumor and a healthy margin of tissue around the tumor
Removal of the full breast tissue
Potential adjuvant treatments of breast cancer3
Uses drugs known as cytotoxic (anti-cancer) drugs, which are usually given to kill cancer cells once every two to four weeks following your surgery
Uses low doses of radiotherapy to kill cancer cells (Radiation therapy is usually given over a period of around three to five weeks every three to five days and is usually administered after surgery.)
Uses drugs or surgery to reduce the production of hormones (estrogen and progesterone) that stimulate the growth of hormone-receptor-positive cancers
Uses drugs to change cell production and growth, preventing the cancer from spreading
Self-exam for Breast Cancer Awareness
It only takes 10 minutes to help increase your breast cancer awareness to help you better recognize any changes to the look and feel of your breasts.
Consult with a healthcare professional for steps to complete a self-exam. The video below is an example of how one might be done and is not intended to be medical advice.
Possible breast changes to discuss with your healthcare professional4,5.
Get to know your body and learn to identify changes in the look and feel of your breasts.
Unexplained breast shrinkage, especially one-sided. New asymmetry between the breasts.
Nipple changes, such as if they’re slightly inverted scaly, red or swollen skin on the breast, areola, or nipple.
Change in skin texture or enlarged pores on the breast, like the skin on an orange.
Lumps.
Dimpling.
Unexplained swelling especially one-sided.
Watery, milky, yellow or bloody.
Nipple sensitivity.
Friendly reminder: Keep in touch with your breasts!
Set reminders and get digital accompaniment to perform breast self-exams!
What is breast reconstruction?
It is a procedure to replace lost skin and breast volume, that are both removed during cancer treatment.
Breast reconstruction can replace lost breast volume, reconstruct the nipple, and restore breast symmetry6.
Types of breast reconstruction
Reconstruction of the breast is performed at the same time as your mastectomy procedure7.
Reconstruction of your breast is performed as a separate procedure, not at the time of your mastectomy7.
• Latissimus Dorsi Flap: Uses a flap of tissue from your back muscle to reconstruct the breast(s)
• Superior Gluteal Artery Perforator Flap (SGAP) or Inferior Gluteal Artery Perforator Flap (IGAP): Takes skin and fat from your buttocks to reconstruct your breast(s)
• Transverse Myocutaneous Gracilis Flap (TMG) or Transverse Upper Gracilis Flap (TUG): Takes skin, fat and muscle from your thigh to reconstruct your breast(s)
• Transverse Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous (TRAM) Flap: Uses skin, tissue and muscle from your abdomen to reconstruct your breast(s)
• Muscle-sparing Transverse Rectus Abdominis Myocutaneous (MSTRAM) Flap: Uses just skin (Tissue is taken from your abdomen to reconstruct your breast(s))
• Deep Inferior Epigastric Artery Perforator (DIEP) Flap: Takes a portion of your lower abdomen, including skin and fat (leaving behind the abdomen muscle), to reconstruct your breast(s)
• One-stage Reconstruction
A Motiva® breast implant is placed immediately at the time of your mastectomy to reconstruct your breast. One-stage reconstruction can also include MotivaHybrid® surgery to provide extra coverage to the breast, to shape contour, and to enhance the symmetry of your reconstructed breast(s).
• Two-stage Reconstruction
The Motiva Flora® Tissue Expander is placed at the time of the mastectomy procedure to expand the skin and create a pocket for a permanent Motiva® implant. Once the expansion process is complete, the Motiva Flora® Tissue Expander is removed and replaced with a permanent Motiva® breast implant. Two-stage reconstruction can also include MotivaHybrid® surgery to provide extra coverage to the breast, to shape contour, and to enhance the symmetry of your reconstructed breast(s).
Meet a breast recon platform designed to enhance your aesthetic and safety.
There are no silly questions!
You may have a lot of questions throughout this journey. Here’s a list of questions you might want to ask to your health care professional!
Bloom from within.
Ask your physician about your options on breast recon.
References
1. What Is Breast Cancer? | Breastcancer.org. Accessed August 19,
2022. https://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/understand_bc/what_is_bc
2. Mastectomy vs. Lumpectomy | Breastcancer.org. Accessed August 19,
2022. https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/mast_vs_lump
3. Treatment and Side Effects. Accessed August 19, 2022.
https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment
4. What are the signs and symptoms of breast cancer? Accessed August
19, 2022. https://www.cancercenter.com/cancer-types/breast-cancer/symptoms
5. Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms. Accessed August 19, 2022.
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/breast-cancer-signs-and-symptoms.html
6. Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy – National Cancer
Institute. Accessed August 19, 2022.
https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/reconstruction-fact-sheet
7. Immediate vs. Delayed Reconstruction | MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Accessed August 19, 2022.
https://www.mdanderson.org/treatment-options/breast-reconstruction/immediate-vs–delayed-reconstruction.html
8. Autologous or “Flap” Reconstruction. Accessed August 19, 2022
https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/reconstruction/types/autologous
