Nipple Sparing, Direct to Implant Surgery to Prevent or Treat Breast Cancer Offers Medical and Cosmetic Benefits

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y., July 11, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Nipple sparing mastectomy enhances cosmetic outcome and provides effective medical benefit for women having surgery to reduce hereditary breast cancer risk or for breast cancer, according to Andrew Ashikari, M.D., a surgical oncologist with the Ashikari Breast Center, which has performed more nipple sparing mastectomies than any breast center in the world.

Angelina Jolie recently helped bring more attention to the option of keeping the nipples during mastectomy when she underwent a nipple sparing prophylactic mastectomy to reduce her high breast cancer risk linked to a BRCA (BReast CAncer) mutation. BRCA mutations raise an affected woman's lifetime risk of developing breast cancer to up to 86 percent, vastly higher than the average non-BRCA woman's lifetime risk of 8—10 percent. Dr. Ashikari and his surgical partners — his father Dr. Roy Ashikari and Dr. Pond Kelemen — have been successfully performing nipple sparing mastectomies for 25 years for hundreds of women with similar breast cancer risk or diagnoses.

Dr. Ashikari emphasized that helping to alleviate the emotional impact of mastectomy is a substantial benefit with a nipple sparing procedure, but most important is its efficacy in significantly reducing risk for or treating breast cancer. "We leave a very small amount of breast tissue behind the nipple area to ensure the necessary blood flow supply," he said. "In about 360 nipple sparing cases (650 breasts) we've performed over 20 years we've seen one case of post-surgery breast cancer (0.15 percent incidence), and which did not develop in the remaining nipple tissue."

"Nipple sparing mastectomy lets a woman maintain the original appearance of her breast because she's keeping her own nipple and breast skin, which are never detached during the procedure," said Dr. Kelemen. "The outcome in combination with breast reconstruction is a breast that looks very similar to pre-surgery form, and without noticeable scarring."

Benefit of Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction in One Surgery
The breast surgeons of the Ashikari Breast Center perform their nipple sparing mastectomy procedure in conjunction with plastic and reconstructive surgeons C. Andrew Salzberg, M.D. and R. Michael Koch, M.D., of the New York Group for Plastic Surgery, who in 2001 pioneered a direct to implant, or "one step," breast reconstruction using a specially prepared skin tissue, or acellular dermal matrix (ADM), positioned over the implant as a muscle extender to avoid the need for tissue expanders. The breast and plastic surgeons work together throughout a typically three-hour surgical procedure to remove the breast tissue while preserving the skin and nipple, and immediately reconstruct the breasts so that a woman wakes from surgery with breasts in place.

"Our direct to implant breast reconstruction means women avoid the traditional second operation to exchange tissue expanders for permanent breast implants," said Dr. Salzberg. "Our published studies on hundreds of women have shown that our method of performing nipple sparing, direct to implant mastectomy and breast reconstruction is safe and effective."

"Nipple sparing, direct to implant surgery has empowered many more women at extremely high risk for breast cancer, and who no longer want the constant stress of screening in hopes of early detection, to choose mastectomy as an option," said Dr. Roy Ashikari. "Women travel to us from across the country for surgery performed in one operation with excellent medical and aesthetic results."

"Nipple sparing mastectomy and direct to implant breast reconstruction can be performed on most women seeking prophylactic surgery, depending on factors such as breast size and ptosis, or excess sagging," he added. "A woman with breast cancer is usually also a candidate for nipple sparing mastectomy as long as the tumor is at least 2 centimeters (cm) away from the nipple."

Nipple sparing mastectomy can also be performed in combination with breast reconstruction that uses a woman's own tissue, instead of an implant, to replace the removed breast tissue. Known as a free tissue transfer, or DIEP, this type of reconstruction uses microsurgery to transfer tissue, including fat and blood vessels, to the breasts from another area, usually the abdomen.

"Using a woman's own tissue enables us to create reconstructed breasts that look and feel very natural," said Dr. Koch. "The surgery is more complex and therefore takes longer than with an implant, but can still be accomplished in one surgery with a nipple sparing mastectomy."

About The Ashikari Breast Center
The Ashikari Breast Center attracts patients from across the nation by providing timely, compassionate and thorough care for treating breast disease. Located in the Dobbs Ferry Pavilion of St. John's Riverside Hospital and the Hudson Valley Hospital Center, the Ashikari Breast Center utilizes the most advanced medical technology. As one of only three medical facilities in Westchester County, NY, and 27 in New York State, granted designation into the prestigious National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), the Center is recognized for its commitment to offering patients every significant advantage in their battle against breast disease. http://www.ashikaribreastcenter.com

About The New York Group for Plastic Surgery
The New York Group for Plastic Surgery is comprised of highly trained reconstructive and plastic surgeons certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and recognized for their specialized medical and cosmetic surgical skills and personalized patient care.  The New York Group for Plastic Surgery serves patients from communities in the entire Hudson River Valley, New York City, Northern New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and Western Connecticut, as well as patients who travel from across the United States and internationally for their expertise. http://www.nygplasticsurgery.com

Contact:         
Andrea Ziltzer
AZ Healthcare Communications                                                                                        
[email protected]
914.923.3547

SOURCE The Ashikari Breast Center