Rochester Regional Offers Hidden Scar Breast Cancer Surgery

Rochester Regional Health is the first in Western New York to be certified in Hidden Scar breast cancer surgery—a new option that will help women that need breast cancer surgery hide scars by minimizing their incisions. 

As the name suggests, the procedure involves removing cancerous tissue through a single incision, in a discreet location such as under the breast or through the armpit, resulting in a hidden scar. Previously, mastectomies and lumpectomies would leave prominent scarring—a constant visual reminder of the cancer and surgery.

“Even though it's an important weapon in the fight against breast cancer, a mastectomy or lumpectomy can take a serious emotional toll on a woman, impacting her self-confidence, body image and intimacy,” said Lori Medeiros, MD, director of the Rochester Regional Health Breast Center. “This surgery option provides women with a level of confidence in survivorship that wasn’t attainable with previous surgery methods.”

With Hidden Scar surgeries, surgeons at the Rochester Regional Health Breast Center are using new advanced photonics devices to illuminate the path to the tumor. The surgery preserves the natural appearance of the breast, so patients will experience little difference in the size and shape of their breasts once healed from surgery.

The American Cancer Society estimates there will be more than 266,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer in 2018.