Successful reconstruction of removed parts now possible in cancer treatment; experts

Chandigarh, January 23, 2024: “Reconstruction of body parts surgically removed during cancer treatment is now possible. Plastic and onco surgeons together can reconstruct the missing organ during cancer surgery.”

Dr Ramesh Kumar Sharma director plastic surgery at Paras Health, Panchkula said here on Tuesday that although the primary aims in cancer surgery is the complete removal of affected part. This often leads to large defects which can compromise both function and appearance. This is particularly true for exposed areas such as head neck and face, he maintained.

He further said, “Similarly, breast cancer deals a double blow to the patient. The treatment of cancer in such cases would mean removal of part or whole of the breast. This leads to major mental trauma to the female psyche. When the plastic surgeons join hands with the onco-surgeons, reconstruction of the missing breast can be done at the same time thereby restoring the femininity,”

The breast reconstruction can either be done at the same time of breast removal or it can be reconstructed after a gap of few weeks, Dr Sharma informed.

This can be achieved either by using the patient's own tissue or by placement of biocompatible mammary implants, he said.

In head and neck cancers, it is possible to not only restore the function but also improve the cosmetic appearance of the face to allow better social integration. Here again we use both autogenous tissue and implants, he asserted.

Dr Rajan Sahu, associate director of onco-surgery emphasized that simultaneous reconstruction in cancer surgery does not compromise with the treatment of the cancer. In fact, it helps the onco- surgeon to be more radical in extirpation of the disease. He also noted that restoration of the function and appearance in cancer patients is as important as getting rid of the cancer.

This symphony between the plastic surgeons and onco-surgeons in management of challenging cancer patients is very promising as the patients are not only cured of the disease but also their spirits are buoyed, he asserted.