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Soothing the Savaged Breast.By Patricia Frost-Copping
When a woman discovers a lump in her breast it is one of the most devastating and horrifying times of her life. So many terrors flash instantly into her mind from that dark chasm in the unconscious where we all keep our worst fears. Panic and despair wash over her in waves as her imagination conjures up every ghastly scenario for her future; ultimately culminating in the very real possibility that, if she ignores it, it could kill her. Fortunately, there are a number of options available to medicine today for the reatment and cure of breast cancer, should that be the diagnosis of the lump; the most radical of which is a complete mastectomy (removal of the entire breast). Any woman faced with necessary surgery to cure breast cancer, whether she loses her whole breast or just part of it in a lumpectomy, also faces coming to terms with the disfigurement of her body. The body she, and her partner, have become accustomed to; the body that, at least in part, defines her as a woman - makes her the person that she is. Today's society binds women to their body image, an idealised image of the body rarely attainable for most. So it is not surprising then that, in trying to conform to a male-generated vision of perfection, some women resort to surgery in an effort to sculpt themselves into what they perceive as a more acceptable shape. With this in mind, one can easily understand how much more anguish can be caused by the prospect of a mastectomy or lumpectomy. Not only does a woman with breast cancer face having a life-threatening disease, but the cure for that disease may also rob her of a significant part of her equally vital psychological life. How reassuring it must be then to be told by the man (probably) who will take a knife and slice off part of one's sexual identity, that with a wave of his magic knife he can then restore your shape, and psychological health, with an implant. Abracadabra, bang, flash of light, puff of smoke - good as new! Well, almost. Not necessarily an exact match, but far more convenient and easier to live with than a prosthesis (an artificial breast worn inside a bra), and the body itself looks far more 'normal'. The Risks If asked about the most often used simple implant, the surgeon will describe a thin silicone envelope enclosing silicone gel, which feels soft and will move like a real breast, being placed beneath the skin of the chest. If asked about problems occurring with the implant, he is quite likely to mention that sometimes fibrous scar-tissue forms around it which feels hard and rigid, becoming very uncomfortable, but this can again be cured with the magic knife by replacing the implant in another operation. If pressed about the dangers of silicone gel in the body he will probably refer to an assessment of silicone implants by a group of medical specialists on behalf of the Department of Health, who concluded that, 'there is not enough evidence to stop using them.' In America However, in America the F.D.A. (Food and Drug Administration) banned the use of silicone implants when some women feared they had developed cancers, auto-immune disorders and infections through ruptures and leaks from the silicone bags. Seven countries have followed America's lead in banning silicone implants, but British doctors maintain that problems have mostly been associated with silicone injections and have restricted their ban to these treatments. A recent report maintains that leakage's from silicone implants migrate to all parts of the body becoming toxic and inducing immune responses, maybe even affecting breast-fed babies; and if this is not the case, as U.K. surgeons insist, it is then reasonable to ask why Dow Corning (the U.S. importer) has paid out over £2 billion to implanted American women in compensation, and why implanted women are banned from donating organs or even blood in the U.S.A. Is there no danger? It is also reported that, contrary to the information in some British publications that implants will last your whole life (comforting for the survivors of breast cancer who can usually expect to live their normal span), 50% of implants break down in the first ten years. This rises to 90% over twenty years. The Alternatives So what are the options for those women who have to choose between breast or no breast?'There are alternatives to silicone and saline, both of which may also mask the results of a mammogram. Triglyceride implants are available (also known as Soya implants) which resist fungal and bacterial infection and which, should they leak, are processed by the body in the same way as vegetable oils. They also have the advantage of allowing x-rays to pass through and so do not mask or conceal any tissue during a mammogram. One of the best alternatives is as natural as you can get. It is the use of the woman's own flesh. Muscle and skin can be taken from either the back or the abdomen, rotated, and tunnelled to the chest wall. The transferred flesh is obviously well supplied with blood vessels and so aids the healing process. A woman, at one of the most fearful and vulnerable times of her life, need not feel helpless or at the mercy of a doctor's monetary considerations. She can be well informed about herself, her life and her options. The information is available to any woman who wants it and who feels she would like to take control, at least in part, of her body and her situation.
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