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Dr. Linder's Blog

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Posted On: October 01, 2021 Author: The Office of Dr. Stuart Linder Posted In: Breast Reconstruction

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October is breast cancer awareness month, and every October, you see a lot of information about breast cancer, which is a good thing. Awareness surrounding breast cancer is essential as early detection, often through screening, can catch the disease when it is most treatable. 

A few years back, Sharecare, an innovative and interactive health and wellness website created by Dr. Oz and entrepreneur Jeff Arnold asked if I would share my thoughts and story.

In this video, I shared the story of a patient who changed my life forever.

During a breast reduction surgery, I noticed the outer side of her left breast had developed severe calcifications. 

Before every breast surgery, I request a mammogram of the patient’s breast to create a road map. This patient’s mammogram showed no evidence of calcifications or any other complications.

I sent the tissue to pathology, and it came back as cancer (infiltrative ductal carcinoma). As a result, this patient ended up having a bilateral mastectomy and total breast reconstruction. 

This patient, who I had seen early on in my career, changed how I conduct plastic surgery. I believe it is my responsibility as your plastic surgeon, especially as a breast specialist, to test every patient for breast cancer even if there are no warning signs.  

As we enter into October 2021, I encourage every woman to get regular mammograms and clinical breast exams, as these tests can help detect breast cancer before she even has symptoms.

If you have any questions regarding breast concerns, give us a call at (310) 275-4513, or feel free to contact us via email for more information.