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Reconstruction while on Herceptin?

Page last modified on: October 13, 2008

Question from Elizabeth: While on Herceptin treatment, would you suggest reconstructive surgery?: Answers —Patricia Ganz, M.D.: I think that's a question that you need to speak to your treating physicians about. It depends on the extent of surgery and the evaluation of the people caring for you.; Lillie Shockney, R.N., B.S., M.A.S.: We usually prefer to have the patient complete their Herceptin therapy. Many reconstructions may take several weeks to recover from, and we don't want the patient to have breaks in her Herceptin therapy for an elective reason of breast reconstruction. So we opt to do the reconstruction at the end, and it's something she can look forward to as she completes her treatment.

On Wednesday, August 15, 2007, the Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Managing Ongoing Medications. Patricia Ganz, M.D. and moderator Lillie Shockney, R.N., B.S., M.A.S. answered your questions about staying on track with breast cancer medications you have to take on a regular basis.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of Breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Patricia A. Ganz, M.D. is a medical oncologist and a professor in the schools of medicine and public health at UCLA, and is director of the division of cancer prevention and control research at the Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center there.

Lillie Shockney, RN., BS., M.A.S. Lillie Shockney, R.N., B.S., M.A.S. is the administrative director of the Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center.

Breastcancer.org is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing information and community to those touched by this disease. Learn more about our commitment to providing complete, accurate, and private breast cancer information.

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