Breast reduction surgery may reveal unexpected findings that may increase women's risk of breast cancer. It is estimated that up to twelve percent of breast reduction patients may have abnormal pathologies that would indicate a higher risk of breast cancer development in future. These findings are from a study that was present at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) in Chicago. In addition, the authors found that, it is cost effective to screen breast reduction specimens from patients of all ages, not just those over 40, the age when routine screening mammography is recommended.
Plastic surgeons who perform breast reductions routinely have the removed tissue tested for abnormalities. While the screening of each patient may detect breast cancer early, it also escalates the overall cost.
In this study, 12 percent of the 300 patients tested, ranging from 14 to 73 years old, had abnormal pathology reports indicating either a pre-malignant lesion or a lesion that puts the patient at an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Of those with an abnormal outcome, 28 percent were deemed moderate or high risk, placing them at a significantly higher threat than the general population for developing breast cancer. Two of the 10 high-risk patients were less than 40 years old. |
