Our 24/7 cancer helpline provides information and answers for people dealing with cancer. We can connect you with trained cancer information specialists who will answer questions about a cancer diagnosis and provide guidance and a compassionate ear.
Chat live online
Select the Live Chat button at the bottom of the page
Our highly trained specialists are available 24/7 via phone and on weekdays can assist through online chat. We connect patients, caregivers, and family members with essential services and resources at every step of their cancer journey. Ask us how you can get involved and support the fight against cancer. Some of the topics we can assist with include:
- Referrals to patient-related programs or resources
- Donations, website, or event-related assistance
- Tobacco-related topics
- Volunteer opportunities
- Cancer Information
For medical questions, we encourage you to review our information with your doctor.
- Breast Cancer Risk Factors You Cannot Change
- Lifestyle-related Breast Cancer Risk Factors
- Factors with Unclear Effects on Breast Cancer Risk
- Disproven or Controversial Breast Cancer Risk Factors
- Can I Lower My Risk of Breast Cancer?
- Genetic Counseling and Testing for Breast Cancer Risk
- Deciding Whether to Use Medicine to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
- Tamoxifen and Raloxifene for Lowering Breast Cancer Risk
- Aromatase Inhibitors for Lowering Breast Cancer Risk
- Preventive Surgery to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk
- American Cancer Society Recommendations for the Early Detection of Breast Cancer
- Mammogram Basics
- Tips for Getting a Mammogram
- What Does the Doctor Look for on a Mammogram?
- Getting Called Back After a Mammogram
- Understanding Your Mammogram Report
- Breast Density and Your Mammogram Report
- Limitations of Mammograms
- Mammograms After Breast Cancer Surgery
- Mammograms for Women with Breast Implants
- Breast Ultrasound
- Breast MRI
- Newer and Experimental Breast Imaging Tests
- Breast Cancer Signs and Symptoms
- Finding Breast Cancer During Pregnancy
- Breast Cancer Grades
- Breast Cancer Ploidy and Cell Proliferation
- Breast Cancer Hormone Receptor Status
- Breast Cancer HER2 Status
- Breast Cancer Gene Expression Tests
- Other Breast Cancer Gene, Protein, and Blood Tests
- Imaging Tests to Find Out if Breast Cancer Has Spread
- Breast Cancer Stages
- Breast Cancer Survival Rates
- Questions to Ask Your Doctor About Breast Cancer
- If You Have Breast Cancer
- Breast Cancer Videos
- Breast Cancer Quiz
- Frequently Asked Questions About the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Screening Guideline
Breast Reconstruction After Breast-conserving Surgery
Breast-conserving surgery does not remove the entire breast and women are often able to keep their nipples. Most women who have this type of surgery do not need breast reconstruction. However, some women might end up having a breast deformity as a result of the cancer surgery; for example, dimpling caused by removing a large tumor from a small breast. Some doctors are addressing this type of problem by combining cancer surgery and plastic surgery techniques, known as oncoplastic surgery. This type of reconstruction can often be done at the same time as your breast cancer surgery without the need for more operations.
These women may be candidates for different types of breast reconstruction to reshape the breast. One or more of the following techniques may be used to get the best results:
- Breast lift (mastopexy)
- Breast reduction (reduction mammaplasty)
- Tissue flaps from areas close by like the back
The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team
Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as editors and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.
American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Breast Reconstruction. Accessed at https://www.plasticsurgery.org/reconstructive-procedures/breast-reconstruction on July 28, 2021.
De La Cruz L, Blankenship SA, Chatterjee A, et al. Outcomes after oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery in breast cancer patients: A systematic literature review. Annals of Surgical Oncology 2016; 23(10):3247-3258.
Djohan R, Gage E, Bernard S. Breast reconstruction options following mastectomy. Cleve Clin J Med. 2008;75 Suppl 1:S17-23.
Jagsi R, King TA, Lehman C, Morrow M, Harris JR, Burstein HJ. Chapter 79: Malignant Tumors of the Breast. In: DeVita VT, Lawrence TS, Lawrence TS, Rosenberg SA, eds. DeVita, Hellman, and Rosenberg’s Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2019.
Losken A, Pinell-White X, Hodges M, Egro FM. Evaluating outcomes after correction of the breast conservation therapy deformity. Ann Plast Surg. 2015 Jun;74 Suppl 4:S209-13.
Mehrara BJ, Ho AY. Breast Reconstruction. In: Harris JR, Lippman ME, Morrow M, Osborne CK, eds. Diseases of the Breast. 5th ed. Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health; 2014.
National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN). Practice Guidelines in Oncology: Breast Cancer. Version 5.2021. Accessed at https://www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/pdf/breast.pdf on July 28, 2021.
Patel K, Bloom J, Nardello S, Cohen S, Reiland J, Chatterjee A. An Oncoplastic Surgery Primer: Common Indications, Techniques, and Complications in Level 1 and 2 Volume Displacement Oncoplastic Surgery. Ann Surg Oncol. 2019 Jul 24. doi: 10.1245/s10434-019-07592-5. [Epub ahead of print].
Last Revised: October 20, 2021
American Cancer Society medical information is copyrighted material. For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy.
American Cancer Society Emails
Sign up to stay up-to-date with news, valuable information, and ways to get involved with the American Cancer Society.