Breast reconstruction innovation is providing physical, mental and emotional benefits to Ohio State cancer patients. Advances in breast cancer treatment have saved countless lives, but the results of some of those procedures, including mastectomies, can have wide-ranging effects for patients. “Treatment for breast cancer can take an immense toll on a patient’s well-being,” says Rohini Kadle, MD, a plastic surgeon at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. “Not only can the treatment be taxing, but the prospect of a lumpectomy or mastectomy can be very scary.” To emphasize comprehensive breast cancer care, surgeons have prioritized reconstruction innovation in addition to the treatment of the underlying disease. “Reconstructive surgery can help to alleviate some of the toll of breast cancer treatment by allowing patients to feel more whole and more like themselves,” Kadle says. “Beyond just re-creating the physical form of a breast, we are also able to return some sense of normalcy to our breast cancer patients.” The OSUCCC – James’ commitment to personalized cancer care extends to reconstruction patients, who are connected with surgeons and colleagues who tailor specific plans based on each unique situation. Among the reconstruction options available to breast cancer patients are a variety of groundbreaking mastectomy procedures that improve results while lowering physical impact. “As we continue to advance our treatments for breast cancer, we are able to de-escalate ablative surgeries,” says Roman Skoracki, MD, the medical director of the Stefanie Spielman Comprehensive Breast Center (SSCBC). “However, for patients requiring surgical interventions for breast cancer, we have a wide variety of reconstructive options, ranging from an oncoplastic approach after lumpectomy, to complex reconstructions using other parts of the body to replace missing volume after a lumpectomy or mastectomy, to assisting with aesthetic flat closures and many other options. Our team is happy to work with each patient to find their ideal procedure.” Ohio State surgeons have been leaders in the advancement of minimally invasive nipple-sparing reconstruction procedures, which utilize robotics to keep the native nipple-areola complex without increasing the risk of cancer recurrence. “Advances in both oncologic and reconstructive care have increased the number of patients who are candidates for nipple-sparing mastectomies,” Kadle says. “Patients who can undergo nipple-sparing mastectomies are able to achieve desired aesthetic outcomes, improving their overall well-being.” The number of reconstruction options has grown significantly in recent years. Some Ohio State breast cancer patients are able to undergo free-flap procedures that use patients’ own tissue to reconstruct the breast mound, providing long-lasting and natural-looking results. “We continue to push the boundaries of free-flap breast reconstruction, using multiple flaps and alternative donor sites that were not offered in the past and may not be offered elsewhere,” Kadle says. The creation of each reconstruction plan at Ohio State is a team effort that involves the patient and a multidisciplinary team of breast cancer experts. The plans are tailored to the wants and needs of each patient, some of whom undergo implant-based reconstruction — single or multi-step procedures that can involve silicone or saline implants, based on patient and surgeon input — while others decide upon aesthetic flat closures, which can result in less recovery time. “We also perform complex reconstructive closures for lumpectomy defects to decrease the risk of deformity after radiation,” Kadle says. “We are constantly innovating and improving our techniques for breast reconstruction after cancer diagnoses.” Ohio State’s multidisciplinary experts and patients join together under one roof at the SSCBC, a groundbreaking facility focused exclusively on breast cancer care and research, from prevention and mammography to treatment and survivorship — and of course, reconstruction. Skoracki, Kadle and their colleagues continue to work toward a future without breast cancer while improving outcomes for today’s patients through reconstruction and the full continuum of care. “We know that this is a very difficult time for our patients, and we work to make this process as painless as possible,” Kadle says. “Through innovation and research, we strive to bring cutting-edge treatments to our patients to achieve excellent results.”