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Upstate Breast Care Center at Community Campus now offers Hidden Scar surgery technique

Upstate Breast Care Center at Community Campus now offers Hidden Scar surgery technique

SYRACUSE, N.Y.-- Surgery is a necessary reality for many breast cancer patients, but thanks to a new surgical technique, disfiguring scars from that surgery may be avoidable. Upstate Breast Care Center at Community Campus now has two breast cancer surgeons certified in Hidden Scar: Breast Care Surgery, an advanced approach where surgeons remove cancerous tissue through a single incision made in an inconspicuous area.

“I’m proud to be able to offer this new technique to our patients because it can potentially ease the emotional impact of breast cancer surgery,” said Kristine Keeney, MD, one of the surgeons now certified in Hidden Scar Breast Surgery. “Our patients will be left with virtually no visual reminder of the surgery, and will also have the opportunity for a more natural-looking breast reconstruction.”

The Hidden Scar Breast Surgery is used for nipple-sparing mastectomy or breast conserving procedures, also referred to as lumpectomies. Factors that influence a patient’s eligibility for this type of procedure include tumor size and location, breast shape and size and the surgeon’s training. There is no increase in the risk of cancer recurrence compared to any other technique.

In cases of nipple-sparing mastectomy, underlying breast tissue is removed while the surgeon preserves the nipple-areolar complex and breast skin. The preferred incision location for this type of procedure is located in the natural crease beneath the breast. This approach can be used by patients seeking a prophylactic mastectomy due to presence of the BRCA gene or strong family history, patients with on-invasive cancers or with small tumors that are not located directly beneath the nipple.

Hidden Scar Lumpectomy procedures use a single, discreet incision to preserve the majority of the breast, while removing the tumor and a small portion of healthy margin tissue. The incision for this type of surgery can be made in one of three areas: the crease beneath the breast, the areola border or the armpit. In these cases the cancer must be small, relative to the breast, and confined to one area.

“Using this new approach helps us confront our patients’ fears about how they will be changed after surgery, while still offering the highest quality care,” said Mary Ellen Greco, MD, who is also certified in Hidden Scar surgery. “We have always been committed to personalized care and fostered collaborative doctor-patient relationships. This is really a natural extension of that.”

The Upstate Breast Care Center at Community Campus is located in the Physicians Office Building South. For information, call 315-492-5660.

Caption: Breast surgeons Kristine Keeney, MD, and Mary Ellen Greco, MD, of Upstate University Hospital Breast Care at Community Campus, are certified in Hidden Scar Breast Surgery. This approach allows surgeons to remove cancerous tissue using a single, discreet incision. Reducing worry about scarring after surgery may help ease some of the emotional impact on breast cancer patients.

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