NE HEALTH BUREAU
CHENNAI, OCT 15
In a moving celebration of courage, resilience, and recovery, Chennai Breast Centre brought together over 100 breast cancer survivors from across Tamil Nadu for ‘Beyond Breast Cancer: Rebuilding Lives’, marking World Breast Reconstruction Awareness (BRA) Day 2025. The event shone a spotlight on a crucial yet under-discussed aspect of breast cancer care — reconstruction after mastectomy — which restores not just the body, but also dignity and confidence.
Despite medical advances, only 1% of Indian breast cancer patients undergo reconstruction after mastectomy — a stark contrast to over 65% in Europe. Cultural taboos, lack of awareness, and limited access to reconstructive expertise have left countless women to live with disfigurement and emotional distress.
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“Improved medical facilities and accurate imaging have made earlier detection possible, allowing many women to survive longer and lead productive lives. In the West, women recommended mastectomy are routinely offered immediate reconstruction, but in India, this is often omitted,” said Dr. Selvi Radhakrishna, Senior Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon, Chennai Breast Centre. “As a result, many survivors live with psychological distress and loss of confidence — highlighting the urgent need to integrate reconstruction into cancer care.”
Breast reconstruction, a restorative procedure, uses either implants or the patient’s own tissue to rebuild the breast after cancer surgery. Far from being cosmetic, it corrects a physical deformity and enhances mental well-being.
“Breast reconstruction techniques have advanced tremendously,” said Dr. Venkat Ramakrishnan, Senior Consultant Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon, Chennai Breast Centre. “Microsurgical reconstruction using the patient’s own tissue — often tummy fat — adds just two hours to surgery and has a success rate of over 99%. It’s extremely safe, provides a natural breast that ages with the patient, and can even reduce the need for radiotherapy. With greater awareness of these benefits, more women can make informed choices and embrace reconstruction as a vital step toward complete recovery.”
Experts at the event emphasized that the way forward lies in making breast reconstruction a standard part of cancer treatment. This includes training more specialists, recognizing reconstruction as a medical (not cosmetic) procedure under insurance, and establishing comprehensive one-stop breast centres offering diagnosis, surgery, reconstruction, and rehabilitation under one roof.
As the survivors stood together on BRA Day, their shared message was clear: Breast cancer may change your body, but it doesn’t have to define your identity. Reconstruction can help women heal completely — inside and out.
