Oncoplastic surgery for small breast: Cons

Panel DiscussionOncoplastic breast conservation surgery has given a new light to the options of performing breast conserving surgery by combining oncological principles of breast cancer surgery with plastic surgery techniques. The ultimate oncoplastic achievement would be the conversion of what normally would be considered as an oncologic and/or cosmetic failure when using standard techniques of breast conserving surgery into both oncological and cosmetic success and to avoid mastectomy where possible. For larger breasts, the technique is more forgiving. However for smaller breast, there is still a limitation of the cosmetic outcome when a high percentage of breast volume has been excised no matter how good the technique or the surgeon is. Hence despite the uprise of interest and practice of oncoplastic surgery, oncoplastic surgery is not for everyone. This house believe that oncoplastic surgery should not be performed in patients with small breast