Surgical procedures to remove breast cancer can often leave marks and disfigurement, creating a reminder of the event after the disease is gone.
Fortunately, many patients can take advantage of a new procedure that drastically reduces visible scarring. The Hidden ScarTM technique makes scars almost invisible while helping to facilitate psychological and emotional healing.
Palos Health breast surgeon Dr. Jennifer Gambla is one of only a handful of Illinois doctors trained in Hidden ScarTM. “Women need to know it’s OK to think cosmetically when being treated for cancer,” she says. Gambla believes most patients are candidates for the procedure, which can be used with nipple sparing mastectomies as well as lumpectomies. Studies show that women who experience the procedure do not have a higher risk of cancer recurrence than those who undergo traditional techniques.
Hidden ScarTM surgery involves making a small incision in an inconspicuous area (such as under the arm or in the crease of the breast). Special instruments allow the surgeon to better see the breast tissue, and a customized blade can tunnel further to remove tumors in difficult-to-reach locations.
Busy wife and mom Kathy Blake is one of many local women to benefit from the Hidden ScarTM approach. After finding a lump during a routine breast exam, Blake underwent further testing which revealed she had Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, stage 1. “I was shocked,” remembers Blake. “And all I kept imagining was mastectomy.”
Blake met with Gambla soon after her diagnosis to discuss surgical options. “Gambla described a lumpectomy she had recently performed using a new technique where the scar was barely visible. She believed I would be an excellent candidate for this surgery due to the size and location of my tumor. I never imagined a surgery that wouldn’t leave a visible scar.”
“It used to be that a diagnosis of breast cancer meant removing the entire breast with little regard to cosmetic factors,” explains Gambla. “I became trained in Hidden ScarTM to give my patients the best possible outcome on all levels: physically, emotionally and even cosmetically.”
Blake had her tumor removed by Gambla using Hidden ScarTM, and was quickly back to her normal family routine and full-time job. “I am so grateful not to have a constant reminder of my diagnosis each time I look in the mirror,” says Blake. “The future looks bright, and I’m so happy to be healthy!”