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In most cases, breast reconstruction can be performed at the same time as your mastectomy, and is referred to as ¡°immediate reconstruction.¡± Reconstruction can also be performed weeks, months, or years later. This is known as ¡°delayed reconstruction.¡±

The decision to have immediate versus delayed reconstruction is depends on many factors, including:

• Breast cancer stage
• Your medical condition
• Your preference and lifestyle
• Additional therapies (such as radiation) needed to treat the breast cancer

Immediate Reconstruction

Advantages

• Decreased risk of social or emotional difficulties
• Better cosmetic results
• Possibly fewer surgeries and lower surgery cost
• No difference in rate of development of local cancer recurrence
• No difference in the ability to detect local cancer recurrence
• No significant delays in getting other cancer treatments

Disadvantages

• Harder to detect mastectomy skin problems
• Longer hospitalization and recovery times than if you had mastectomy alone
• More scarring than mastectomy alone

Delayed Reconstruction

Advantages

• Additional cancer therapy after mastectomy (such as radiation) does not cause problems at the reconstruction site
• Gives patients more time to consider breast reconstruction options

Disadvantages

• Mastectomy scar on chest wall
• Requires additional surgery and recovery time
• Sometimes difficult to reconstruct after scarring occurs
• Less optimal cosmetic results