Is there a chance of getting cancer in the tissue of the breast reconstruction? i am considering getting breast reconstruction after having a mastectomy. i am nervous about whether i could get breast cancer again. is the tissue where incisions and cuts we

It : It depends on why type of cancer it is, but mostly that is not the case.

There : There are multiple angles to this question that i will address. I think you are asking if reconstruciton will increase teh risk of getting cancer. And the answer is no. However, there is a risk of cancer recurrence simply from the mastectomy. For this reason, many plastic surgeons initially recommended waiting 5 years after mastectomy prior to beginning reconstruciton to ensure that you were free of disease. That is no longer the case. Another consideration is that an implant may obscure or delay detection of a cancer recurrence and while this may be true, it has not been shown to alter longevity.

Yes and no: Breast cancer can come back after either lumpectomy or mastectomy. Breast reconstruction does not increase the risk of cancer recurrence. The risk of recurrent breast cancer after mastectomy is the same whether you choose to undergo breast reconstruction or not. However, recurrent breast cancer, like any cancer, grows into surrounding tissues, which can include the reconstructed breast.

Breast Cancer: Breast cancer will not develop in tissue that is used to perform breast reconstruction. Bc develops in tissue left behind or near the site of tumor removal. If there is concern about the ability to check for cancer recurrence such as when a tumor is close to the chest wall then i suggest the case be reviewed by the tumor board so that a clear plan for surveillance is understood before a recon!