Patient Education

Once you or someone you love has been diagnosed with breast cancer, there will be many questions you may have about various options and processes. This section is dedicated to providing general information about treatments, surgical options and organizations, programs and support groups dedicated to providing patient information on what to expect and how to best cope throughout your journey. Your physician is your main point-of-reference for all your questions.

Current US figures show that approximately 1 in 8 U.S. women (just under 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of their lifetime. According to the American Cancer Society, in 2017, an estimated 252,710 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed among women in the US.

The treatment of breast cancer has moved progressively towards breast-conserving therapy, yet for approximately one-third of all breast cancer patients, a mastectomy is inevitable. In addition, there is a increase in the number of women being diagnosed with a BRCA gene mutation, many of whom will decide to opt for risk-reducing mastectomy as a way of managing their breast cancer risk.

In addition to chemotherapy, radiotherapy and mastectomy, reconstructive breast surgery is an integral part of cancer treatment — leading to a journey toward emotional and physical healing. The AiRS Foundation provides objective and accurate information about all types of reconstruction, so women feel confident and well-informed in making the right decision for themselves, regardless of where they are in their breast cancer journey – and regardless of their ability to pay for the procedure.

The information here is for you whether you’re facing immediate treatment, or making  the decision to undergo breast reconstruction some years after their mastectomy. We also realize that breast reconstruction may not be right for everyone, so we have offered alternatives to surgery, including prosthesis or making the choice for no reconstruction, also known as ” going flat” or “living flat.”