Imella Sanchez faithfully did self-examinations of her breasts along with getting a mammogram every month. One morning when she was in the shower, she found a lump that forever changed her life. 

She went to her doctor’s office, and after biopsies and ultrasounds, she discovered she was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer. The breast cancer survivor of three years had a left breast mastectomy with reconstruction and chemotherapy that lasted about five months.

“I had complications along the way with several surgeries, such as a reconstructed breast surgery, which lasted for a year because I had to wait until after the radiation and then have the reconstruction surgery done in stages,” she said. 

Oncoplastic surgery is a new method of treating breast cancer that combines oncology and plastic surgery to restore the appearance of the breast and provide a more natural look. 

In the past, women would commonly get a lumpectomy, the conservation of the breast, or a mastectomy, the removal of the breast. But now women can get a lumpectomy using oncoplastic techniques. 

Prior to the existence of oncoplastic surgery, several operations had to be done to complete the lumpectomy and mastectomy surgical procedures. Now, many women are getting immediate reconstruction with an implant after the cancer is removed due to Oncoplastic techniques. 

Dr. Deanna Attai, a breast surgeon, who serves on the board of directors of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, has a private practice at Providence St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Burbank where she performs oncoplastic surgery. 

She said the surgery takes about an hour to three hours or more, depending on how large the tumor is and how much of a reconstruction is needed.

Sometimes the breast surgeon and the plastic surgeon work together during an oncoplastic lumpectomy operation and the patient is under general anesthetics, completely asleep, Attai said.

“Most of these surgeries are done as an out patient procedure, meaning the patient will go home later that day and recovery can be anywhere from a few days to sometimes as much as two weeks,” Attai said. 

During the procedure, there's an incision over the tumor to remove it along with breast tissue, while retaining a normal shape to the breast as possible, she added. 

Tam Mai, 32, a breast fellow at Los Angeles County and USC medical center, said oncoplastic surgery is not an option for everyone and only certain individuals can benefit from it depending on their situation. 

“A woman with small breasts is not going to really benefit from this because she doesn’t have enough breast tissue,” she said. 

One of Dr. Attai’s breast cancer patients, who requested to not be identified, said after being presented different surgical options she decided to get oncoplastic surgery because she would not need multiple surgeries. 

“One of the plastic surgeons suggested to get the right breast reduced and get a lumpectomy on the left breast because it will only be one surgery and the breasts would match,” she said. 

The patient said she recommends for anyone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer to have oncoplastic surgery, because it is not as traumatic as a mastectomy and the breasts will not be removed. 

Actress Angelina Jolie had oncoplastic surgery to have both of her breasts removed and restored because she is a carrier of a gene that puts her at risk for developing breast cancer. 

In a personal essay she wrote to the New York Times she said, “There have been many advances and results can be beautiful.” 

The cost of oncoplastic surgery or any breast cancer surgery is difficult to figure out because there are charges that are billed to the insurance from different individuals. The surgeon, the anesthesiologist and the pathologist will charge because they need to evaluate the tissue that gets removed, according to Dr. Attai. It depends on the patient’s deductible and their type of insurance plan and if the insurance covers breast cancer surgery they cover the reconstruct as well. 

 “Any insurance that covers breast cancer surgery needs to cover oncoplastic surgery just like they need to cover a mastectomy with reconstruction,” Attai said. 

Attai added that she is not sure whether oncoplastic surgery will be covered under the Affordable Health Care Act, but she doubts that there will be any limitations on breast cancer surgery and breast cancer surgery coverage.

On Nov. 2, Santa Monica beach was taken over by more than 600 people in pink attending a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk. The event honored breast cancer survivors, raised awareness of how to reduce risks and raised money to help American Cancer Society fight the disease with research.  

Cancer is the second most common cause of death in the US and about 2,844,000 individuals have cancer with 2,829,000 being women, according to an American Cancer Society 2010 report. 

The American Cancer Society has thousands of researchers they are funding, but 45 of them have actually received Noble Prizes for their work in eradicating cancer, according to Pam Brady, a community engagement person. 

“A researcher is working on a way to give chemo directly to the tumor not put it throughout the body, meaning the side effects for chemo treatment have the possibilities of going away,” she said. 

Jennifer Bailey, the co-chair of making strides Santa Monica, said it is important to have events like this because a donation of $50 can buy a wig for a person going through treatment. 

“Losing your hair is one of the most taxing things on your self-esteem so it helps keep people strong through treatment just by feeling good and looking good,” she said. 

Barbara Nicholson, 65, a breast cancer survivor who had a mastectomy without reconstruction on her left breast at the age of 37, said she was scared and wanted the least amount of surgery as possible. 

“I didn’t want reconstruction because I didn’t want to have another surgery because if cancer came back, I would have implants there and have it checked periodically,” she said. 

Nicholson added that if oncoplastic surgery existed when she was diagnosed she would have considered having the operation. 

“I would have considered it because the surgery does not take long and my breast would look more natural,” she said. 

Ann Elizabeth Crotty, a breast cancer survivor, had a lumpectomy and did eight weeks of radiation after being diagnosed in March. 

“My doctor wants to keep my breast as normal and perfect as possible so I just have a really small scar on the side and other than that it looks great, it’s totally fine,” she said.  

Women going through breast cancer have a lot more options now and improvements in terms of techniques and cosmetic outcomes, said Attai. 

“Sometimes a new technique can be as simple as I’m in the operating room and think I can do something a little bit differently than the standards,” she said. 

Oncoplastic surgery is great because patients get better shaped breasts and when they get through their cancer, they wake up and they don’t have to think about their cancer, said Mai. 

“Patients do not see any deformities they just go on with their lives and get a checkup, but someone who has a deformed breast they are always reminded of it when they look in the mirror,” she added.

Reach Contributor Shaleeka Powell here.