HELPFUL TERMS

BREASTIE

Anyone who has been affected by or knows someone affected by a breast disease, cancer, or genetic mutation. Breasties are all inclusive and inviting. No one is left out. So welcome to the club!

expanders

A common breast reconstruction technique is tissue expansion, which involves expansion of the breast skin and muscle using a temporary tissue expander. A few months later, the expander is removed and the patient receives either microvascular flap reconstruction, or the insertion of a permanent breast implant. This type of breast reconstruction requires two separate operations. I had expanders and then exchanged them for implants!

foobs

Fake boobs or the result of having a double mastectomy since your implants or expanders end up looking some type of way.

NIPPLE SPARING

A nipple sparing mastectomy s a surgical advancement for women undergoing removal of the breast due to breast cancer or as a preventative measure known as risk reduction surgery. Through a small incision, all of the breast glandular tissue is removed from beneath the overlying skin and nipple.

ONCOLOGIST

An oncologist is a doctor who treats cancer. Usually, an oncologist manages a person's care and treatment once he or she is diagnosed with cancer. The field of oncology has three major areas: medical, surgical, and radiation.

PBM

Preventative Bilateral Mastectomy

PDM

Preventative Double Mastectomy

PREVENTATIVE DOUBLE MASTECTOMY

The most common risk-reducing surgery is a preventative double mastectomy (also called bilateral risk-reducing mastectomy). Bilateral prophylactic mastectomy may involve complete removal of both breasts, including the nipples (total mastectomy), or it may involve removal of as much breast tissue as possible while leaving the nipples intact (subcutaneous or nipple-sparing mastectomy). Subcutaneous mastectomies preserve the nipple and allow for more natural-looking breasts if a woman chooses to have breast reconstruction surgery afterward. However, total mastectomy provides the greatest breast cancer risk reduction because more breast tissue is removed in this procedure than in a subcutaneous mastectomy. Even with total mastectomy, not all breast tissue that may be at risk of becoming cancerous in the future can be removed. The chest wall, which is not typically removed during a mastectomy, may contain some breast tissue, and breast tissue can sometimes be found in the armpit, above the collarbone, and as far down as the abdomen—and it is impossible for a surgeon to remove all of this tissue.

PREVIVOR

Previvors are individuals who are survivors of a predisposition to cancer but who haven't had the disease. This group includes people who carry a hereditary mutation, a family history of cancer, or some other predisposing factor.