Plastic Surgery Cancer Treatment & Reconstruction

When you’ve been diagnosed with a soft tissue or solid tumor cancer, our plastic surgeons have the comprehensive training to remove cancerous tumors from your body.

As leaders in cancer care, we can treat your cancer while also restoring the form and function of the affected area using reconstructive surgery.

Plastic surgery treats soft tissue and solid tumor cancers such as:

Skin cancers and other soft tissue cancers
Melanoma
Merkle cell, squamous cell or basal cell skin cancers
Soft tissue sarcoma
Bone cancers, in conjunction with the orthopedics
Breast cancer

Plastic surgeons approach cancer surgery with a careful eye toward restoring form and function after your cancer is removed. They are some of the most well-versed specialists of anatomic surgery. Our surgeons tailor your surgery to treat the cancer fully. They will optimize reconstruction to meet your individual needs.

Most cancer removal and reconstruction surgeries are completed in two stages:

Curing the disease
Reconstructing the body once the disease is stabilized

The goal is to fully treat cancer before reconstruction begins. This may require you to undergo chemotherapy or radiation once your tumor is removed.

What to Expect with Cancer Treatment & Reconstruction

Plastic surgery treats soft tissue and solid tumor cancers such as:

Skin cancers and other soft tissue cancers
Melanoma
Merkle cell, squamous cell or basal cell skin cancers
Soft tissue sarcoma
Bone cancers, in conjunction with the orthopedics
Breast cancer

Plastic surgeons approach cancer surgery with a careful eye toward restoring form and function after your cancer is removed. They are some of the most well-versed specialists of anatomic surgery. Our surgeons tailor your surgery to treat the cancer fully. They will optimize reconstruction to meet your individual needs.

Most cancer removal and reconstruction surgeries are completed in two stages:

Curing the disease
Reconstructing the body once the disease is stabilized

The goal is to fully treat cancer before reconstruction begins. This may require you to undergo chemotherapy or radiation once your tumor is removed.

Prior to surgery, your plastic surgeon confirms your specific cancer diagnosis. He or she will discuss with you all options and potential outcomes. It’s important you understand the treatment plan, the consequences of surgery and all possible results of reconstruction.

Preparing for Plastic Surgery for Cancer Treatment & Reconstruction

Prior to surgery, your plastic surgeon confirms your specific cancer diagnosis. He or she will discuss with you all options and potential outcomes. It’s important you understand the treatment plan, the consequences of surgery and all possible results of reconstruction.

After your cancer treatment surgery, your doctor orders a pathology report to confirm if your cancer is completely gone.

If your body is clear of disease, your care team addresses your long-term care needs to prevent recurrence of cancer and to plan your reconstructive surgery.

If your pathology report confirms that cancer remains, your physician discusses additional care needs. This may include chemotherapy, radiation, additional surgery, medication or a growing offering of innovative immunotherapies.

After Your Surgery

After your cancer treatment surgery, your doctor orders a pathology report to confirm if your cancer is completely gone.

If your body is clear of disease, your care team addresses your long-term care needs to prevent recurrence of cancer and to plan your reconstructive surgery.

If your pathology report confirms that cancer remains, your physician discusses additional care needs. This may include chemotherapy, radiation, additional surgery, medication or a growing offering of innovative immunotherapies.

Prior to your plastic surgery cancer treatment and reconstruction, consider asking your physician:

Is this surgery something you do regularly?
Why am I seeing a plastic surgeon?
What additional education materials can you provide to help me understand my disease?
Will you validate or re-test to make sure I have the cancer I think I have?
What restrictions will I have before and after surgery?
What lab reports will we await, and what are the potential consequences of those reports?

Make sure you are comfortable with your care team and that they’ve reviewed standards of care and any unknowns you may face.

Questions to Ask Your Provider

Prior to your plastic surgery cancer treatment and reconstruction, consider asking your physician:

Is this surgery something you do regularly?
Why am I seeing a plastic surgeon?
What additional education materials can you provide to help me understand my disease?
Will you validate or re-test to make sure I have the cancer I think I have?
What restrictions will I have before and after surgery?
What lab reports will we await, and what are the potential consequences of those reports?

Make sure you are comfortable with your care team and that they’ve reviewed standards of care and any unknowns you may face.

Why plastic surgery?

Plastic surgeons provide more cancer care than any other type of surgery. Nationwide, plastic surgeons complete nearly 4.5 million primary cancer operations, compared to 138,00 hand plastic surgeries and 17,000 burn plastic surgeries.

Plastic surgeons are experts at treating your cancer as well as providing reconstruction, and they may work independently or collaboratively with other oncologists.

Are plastic surgeons trained in oncology?

Yes. Plastic surgical oncologists are fully trained in general surgery first, and then undergo specialized training in plastic surgery. For many of these plastic surgeons, primary oncology care is their main offering, including treatment of the primary tumor as well as the construction.

Frequently Asked Questions About Plastic Surgery Cancer Treatment & Reconstruction

Why plastic surgery?

Plastic surgeons provide more cancer care than any other type of surgery. Nationwide, plastic surgeons complete nearly 4.5 million primary cancer operations, compared to 138,00 hand plastic surgeries and 17,000 burn plastic surgeries.

Plastic surgeons are experts at treating your cancer as well as providing reconstruction, and they may work independently or collaboratively with other oncologists.

Are plastic surgeons trained in oncology?

Yes. Plastic surgical oncologists are fully trained in general surgery first, and then undergo specialized training in plastic surgery. For many of these plastic surgeons, primary oncology care is their main offering, including treatment of the primary tumor as well as the construction.