Oncoplastic Surgery to be Focus of TME Foundation's Inaugural Course

ALLENTOWN, Penn., May 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The TME Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the standard of care for breast cancer treatment, announced today that its first continuing medical education (CME) course will focus on a team approach to oncoplastic surgery, the most advanced form of breast cancer surgery.

Surgeons will gather in Chicago, June 28-29, 2019, to learn from some of the nation's leading experts in oncoplastic surgery (OPS). While teams of breast and plastic surgeons are encouraged to attend together, any surgeon looking to incorporate OPS into their practice will benefit from the two-day course. By training physicians to work together to offer the full spectrum of oncoplastic options, the TME Foundation is working to improve patient care and increase the number of women who can benefit from OPS.

"An important part of recovery from the trauma of any cancer diagnosis is helping your patient put the entire experience behind her, which is harder to do if she has a daily reminder in the form of a disfiguring scar. It isn't about vanity; it's about recovery," said course co-director Barry Rosen, MD, FACS, a breast surgeon based in Barrington, Ill. "There are oncoplastic principles that can be applied to every breast cancer operation, and our goal is to teach practical skills that surgeons can apply immediately to help improve the quality of care they offer their patients."

OPS combines breast cancer surgery with plastic and reconstructive techniques to achieve the best possible cosmetic outcomes without compromising cancer care. Various oncoplastic approaches - ranging from tumor site closure to breast reductions or lifts - can allow patients to look the same, if not better, than they did before surgery.

Many of these techniques are basic and can be mastered in a short time; others require advanced techniques that are ideally performed in partnership with a fellowship-trained plastic surgeon. The goal of the course is to enable participants to offer oncoplastic surgery to all of their patients and to differentiate those that can be done alone versus a team-approach.

Research supports the benefits and safety of oncoplastic surgery. For women with early-stage breast cancer, OPS can mean fewer complications, better aesthetic outcomes and higher levels of patient satisfaction. It can also help surgeons increase the number of women who are eligible for breast conserving surgery (lumpectomy). Numerous studies show that oncoplastic techniques have lower re-excision rates compared to breast conserving therapy alone.

Despite its benefits, oncoplastic surgery has not yet been widely adopted in the United States. According to course co-director Anne Peled, MD, one reason could be that breast surgeons may not have sufficient training to perform more complex OPS procedures. In addition, there is often a misconception that plastic surgeons are less interested in doing breast reconstruction. By partnering with plastic surgeons, general and breast surgeons will be able to offer their patients the full spectrum of oncoplastic techniques.

"Oncoplastic surgery is about designing the operation to fit the patient's goals and then finding the most qualified person or team to perform that particular procedure," said Dr. Peled, a San Francisco board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in breast oncologic and reconstructive surgery. "We want to support breast and general surgeons by teaching them the skills they need to perform oncoplastic procedures. We can also help them recognize when it may be better to partner with a plastic surgeon in order to provide the best possible outcome."

The course provides 16 CME credits, which attendees can apply toward the recently announced oncoplastic surgery certification from the American Society of Breast Surgeons (ASBrS). Registration is limited to ensure optimum faculty interaction.

The course will feature didactic lectures with two separate tracks customized for either beginning or advanced oncoplastic procedures. In addition, hands-on lab rotations will allow attendees to practice techniques like basic tissue rearrangement, simple and complex reduction mammaplasties, pre-pectoral implants, and others. The course will teach oncoplastic approaches for both breast conservation therapy and mastectomy.

Combined sessions will be taught by teams of breast and plastic surgeons. This includes case study presentations educating participants about the oncologic and reconstructive aspects of breast cancer surgery and how these two very important elements affect one another, Dr. Rosen said. 

Click here for more details or to register for the TME Foundation CME Oncoplastic Surgery Course

About The TME Foundation
Founded in 2016, the TME Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable organization that works to provide education to physicians and other breast health care providers. The foundation's goal is to improve the standard of care for breast cancer and breast disease by: providing information and education to increase physician awareness of current breast disease management practices; facilitating multidisciplinary interchange among healthcare providers regarding breast disease; and supporting research of breast disease prevention and treatment. Visit http://tmeded.com for more information.

Contact: Liz Dowling
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415-388-2794
[email protected]

SOURCE The TME Foundation

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