Are you considering breast reconstruction? When I was faced with a second breast cancer diagnosis, had a double mastectomy, and began to do my own research about breast reconstruction, I was either oversaturated with information or wanted to shut down from information overload. When researching breast reconstruction, how do you distinguish the truth in headlines and research?
The Moment of Truth
The moment of truth begins when you are diagnosed or find you have a high risk of getting breast cancer due to a gene mutation. This moment is most often at the office of your healthcare provider. An oncologist, radiologist, breast surgeon, or genetic counselor are the most likely people to give you this news. You walk out the door with pamphlets and information. They might give you resources for online support, virtual meetings with other survivors, or websites to research.
I hear so many individuals in this situation say how overwhelmed they feel. Your emotions and physical well being are on overdrive. Fatigue and worry take over. Am I going to be around much longer? Will I have to have treatment or surgery? Is my body going to change? How about scars, my current level of activity? How do I know who is going to be the best person to perform any or all of these surgeries and will there be more than one surgery?
Breast Reconstruction Truth: Headlines vs. Research
Once you move beyond the fear and chaos and have a plan in place, you start to gain back some control. But it takes work and research. Patients are increasingly becoming consumers in their own medical decision making. If you sit at your computer and start typing in words like, breast cancer, breast reconstruction, breast surgery, implants, DIEP flap, your head can start spinning again each time you open a new link. I call it, “going down the research rabbit hole”.
Truth and Understanding Headlines
Most patients appreciate accurate information when researching breast reconstruction. It helps put you back in the driver’s seat feeling like you have some control. Buyer beware! Headlines can have attention grabbing words that draw the reader in. You are placing yourself in the “trusted” hands of medical reporters in various news media to interpret medical and health information. If a headline immediately evoked an emotional response, here are some tips:
- Read beyond the headlines. Headlines are created to draw a reader in. But to what?
- What source is the article from? Is it from a specific institution? Be careful of words like “new”, “exciting”, “innovative” or “novel”. Maybe this same technique is being done successfully elsewhere with a different name and has been for a number of years.
- Are specific numbers provided? Saying words like, “many” or “most patients” is not precise language and can be misleading. Instead look for a statement like, “out of the 50 patients who had this surgery, 48 reported…” See the difference? Those are precise, real numbers, factual and not misleading.
- If headlines make blanket statements of success without using words that also imply there are limits to the information provided or leave you feeling they have overstated the truth, it is time to look further.
Truth and Understanding Research
You cannot be expected to understand research papers written on specific surgical procedures with medical terminology you were not trained to understand. And to be clear, some research papers on surgical techniques and treatments are written for very specific purposes. Understanding why research is written is important, a daunting task when you are already feeling emotionally overwhelmed with deciding on the type of surgery you want to have. Not all surgeons perform all procedures.
There is nothing wrong with reading about a “new procedure” as long as you know the surgeon’s success rate of this procedure with patients. When you consult with your plastic surgeon about what type of breast reconstruction you will be having, you generally get a sense of trust. If you feel like a surgeon is talking you into a procedure rather than explaining all your options, it might be time for a second opinion. Any surgeon worth their weight will tell you all your options and also give you other surgeons to consult with when you desire to have a surgery they may not perform often.
Give yourself a break once in a while from exploring options, talking to others, reading articles, and discussing surgery with family and friends. Ultimately, a patient should prioritize the experience and success rate of the surgeon they choose to perform their breast reconstruction. You will come to peace at some point with your decision for breast reconstruction. But it is important to know the truth and understand headlines and research. The time you take to do your research gives you ownership in your decision.
What tips do you have for others who will be going through this process? How did you make sense of understanding breast reconstruction truth headlines and research? I would love to hear from you.