The Importance of Preoperative Diagnosis of Breast Lumps
Everywhere in the developed world it is taken for granted, but in Greece it is in second place, but not in the Breast Care Clinic of Patras. An indicative example can best illustrate the importance of preoperative diagnosis.
Premature Treatment of Breast Lumps
A woman discovers a lump in her breast. She shows it to a general surgeon. He suggests surgery for removal and biopsy. The woman has the surgery. The lump turns out to be breast cancer. She will need a clean margins removal and a sentinel lymph node biopsy. The woman has the second surgery. More tissue is removed around the site of the lump and the aesthetic result is clearly problematic. The lymph node develops metastasis and lymph node cleansing is performed. After recovery from the second surgery, the woman goes to the oncologist for further treatments. CT scans are done to check for metastases, which show something in the other breast. After many tests, it turns out that there is cancer in the other breast as well. More surgeries, and a delay in further treatments.
Conclusion: Worse prognosis, poor aesthetic outcome, uncertainty, multiple surgeries, and a mentally distressed patient.
Synchronous treatment of Breast Lumps at the Breast Care Clinic of Patras
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The same woman discovers the lump in her breast. She is referred to the Breast Surgeon at the Breast Care Clinic. She is examined and it is deemed that a histological diagnosis is required. Will surgery be performed immediately? Of course not. The patient will undergo an ultrasound-guided cut needle biopsy. Under local anesthesia, without incision, at no high cost, the woman will have a complete histological answer within a week. The result is discussed: Lobular cancer, the second most common type of breast cancer. The woman will begin to adjust psychologically to the new situation. Time for the preoperative tests, because this type of cancer often causes other outbreaks of disease. There are no metastases, and the MRI shows a very small focus in the other breast, which is not palpable, and infiltrated lymph nodes in the armpit. With all the evidence at hand, the breast surgeon talks to the woman about the surgery plan. On the side of the large tumor, a lumpectomy will be performed using an oncoplastic method for excellent aesthetic results despite the wide excision of the tumor. On the other side, a guide wire will be placed to remove the tiny tumor with precision and minimal damage to the breast. The lymph nodes of the armpit will be directly treated with appropriate interventions. After the one and only surgery, the patient will go to her oncologist for treatments without delays.
Conclusion: Excellent prognosis, excellent aesthetic result, a mentally strong and aware patient who has chosen her treatment, is informed and knows what to expect.
Preoperative Diagnosis with Breast Tumor Biopsy
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Biopsy with interventional ultrasound can be diagnosed without surgery, inexpensively and quickly. However, if the result dictates surgery, then the patient knows and can accurately choose the exact surgery she will undergo.
