Timing Guidelines Based on Diagnosis

If you are not sure which stage of breast cancer applies to you, you may also want to consult the following sections of breastcancer.org:

• Understanding Your Big Picture
• Stages of Breast Cancer

Early-stage breast cancer

• Immediate reconstruction is fine.
• Two separate surgical teams are necessary for two separate operations.
• Scheduling requires complex coordination of operating room time and two surgeons' schedules—this may add an extra week of waiting time for you.

Intermediate or advanced breast cancer

(tumor larger than five centimeters; lymph nodes involved)

• You'll probably need prompt chemotherapy or radiation, or both, after mastectomy.
• It's best to delay reconstruction until treatment is finished (six months to a year).
• By that time, your needs, your shape, and any weight gain from medication will have settled in and you can make a good decision about reconstruction.

Locally advanced or inflammatory breast cancer

(Stage IIIA or IIIB breast cancer)

You should not have immediate reconstruction, for several reasons:

1. The additional time it would take for you to heal from the reconstruction surgery would delay necessary chemotherapy and radiation.
2. Reconstruction of any type can distort the tissues around your chest wall that your doctors must continue to observe carefully because of a high risk of recurrence.
3. Radiation will temporarily—sometimes permanently—stiffen the body tissues where you are treated; this could change the transplanted muscle and fat used in some types of reconstruction, making it feel less natural

Unfilled tissue expander

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• More diagrams