Reconstruction of the breast after mastectomy for cancer.

General surgeons are taking a more active role in the treatment of all the problems which face the patient who undergoes mastectomy. For many of these women, an important part of their adjustment is achieved by reconstruction of the breast. The number of women requesting reconstruction of the breast after mastectomy is increasing, and more women faced with mastectomy are asking their general surgeons for information about the procedure. It is hoped that as reconstruction of the breast becomes more widely appreciated, women will be encouraged to perform more frequent self-examinations and to seek earlier treatment of carcinoma of the breast. It is tempting to speculate that one ultimate benefit may be an improvement in the survival figures associated with this disease.