For patients diagnosed with breast cancer, deciding on treatment plan can be a distressing experience. Fortunately, when surgeons work together to collaborate, patients have a smoother experience and better outcomes – and feel more supported throughout the process.
Collaboration between general surgeons and plastic surgeons in breast cancer treatment has become an integral part of patient care. From diagnosis, to completion of reconstruction, and long-term follow-up, the two specialties work as a team to ensure patients get the best treatment plan for them.
“Having a team approach is very reassuring for patients. And for surgeons, collaboration is beneficial because you can see the problem through a different lens and then work together to find the best approach for treating the patient,” says Dr. Bruce Webber, Plastic Surgeon at The Oregon Clinic.
The collaborative role of both surgeons helps patients fully understand their illness and treatment options while offering the latest evidence-based recommendations and surgical techniques to their reconstruction. After deciding on the best course of treatment, the surgeons will work side-by-side in the operating room – literally across the table from each other – working to reduce time in surgery and collaborate on incision placement.
“It can be challenging in the beginning, but once surgeons are comfortable working together and anticipating each other’s techniques, we can achieve a better outcome for the patient. It’s a true partnership,” says Dr. Chelsea Hardin, General Surgeon at The Oregon Clinic.
Whatever the treatment plan may look like to fit an individual patient’s needs, collaboration between surgeons across these specialties helps to optimize a patient’s cancer care and improve reconstructive results.
For more information, contact The Oregon Clinic at 503-935-8000 or visit www.oregonclinic.com.