Oncoplastic Breast Reduction: Cancer Surgery and Reconstruction Together

An oncoplastic reduction is a breast reduction performed at the same time as a lumpectomy for breast cancer. It's a powerful option that combines cancer treatment with reconstruction — but how often it's done depends a lot on where you're getting your care.

At centers like Dr. Killeen's, where there's a dedicated breast center, oncoplastic reductions are done all the time. In other environments, they're much less common — and that's a missed opportunity for many patients.

Dr. Killeen believes this procedure should be considered far more often than it currently is.

One of the biggest problems after a lumpectomy followed by radiation is asymmetry. A recent study showed that the average shrinkage of the breast after lumpectomy and radiation is about 30% — leaving many women visibly asymmetric.

This isn't just a cosmetic concern. Significant asymmetry can:

• Look and feel noticeably unbalanced
• Affect your neck and back from uneven weight distribution
• Make clothing and bras difficult to fit
• Impact quality of life in ways patients don't always anticipate

This is one of the most important questions — and the answer is reassuring:

Oncoplastic reductions do not have worse oncologic outcomes. In fact, there's some data suggesting they may have better oncologic outcomes. This is likely because a reduction takes significantly more tissue than a standard lumpectomy, creating wider margins around the cancer.

Dr. Killeen regularly sees patients who had a lumpectomy followed by radiation without ever being referred to plastic surgery first. By the time they come in, they're dealing with significant asymmetry that was often predictable from the start — and managing it after radiation is much more challenging than addressing it at the time of the original surgery.

If you've been diagnosed with breast cancer and are planning a lumpectomy, especially if you have:

• Pre-existing breast asymmetry
• A larger lumpectomy planned (larger lesion being removed)
• Larger breasts overall

...talk to your general surgeon and request a plastic surgery consultation before your cancer surgery.

Getting plastic surgery involved early means:

• More options — you can plan an oncoplastic reduction rather than fix problems later
• Better outcomes — addressing things before radiation is far easier than after
• One surgery instead of two — treating cancer and reshaping the breast at the same time

You deserve to feel good about your body, even after cancer treatment. Oncoplastic reduction is a safe, effective way to combine cancer treatment with reconstruction — and it's one of the reasons Dr. Killeen is passionate about breast reconstruction and breast cancer care. If you're facing a lumpectomy, ask for a plastic surgeon to be part of your team.