health sectionhealth section
The acronym DIEP stands for "deep inferior epigastric perforator," the name of a blood vessel that supplies blood to fat tissue in the lower belly area. The DIEP flap includes the blood vessels, fat tissue, and skin around it. In breast reconstruction surgery after mastectomy, doctors can use the DIEP flap to make a new breast very close in appearance and texture to a natural breast.
When given a diagnosis of breast cancer, the question of prognosis is a natural one for a patient and her family to ask. Even with the established, known prognostic indicators, there is no set prognosis for each stage. Each patient is an individual and has her own risk factors and characteristics. This serves as a generalized overview of prognostic factors in breast cancer, but is by no means definitive, and does not replace a discussion with your oncologist.
Dense breast tissue appears to be an important risk factor for breast cancer. There is nothing unusual about the look or feel of dense breast tissue, but it has a different appearance than regulat tissue when it is x-rayed. Here's what women should know about dense breast tissue and its possible relation to breast cancer.
A tool has been invented to help women calculate their personal breast cancer risk. The tool is called the "Gail Model," named for Dr. Mitchell Gail. The model takes a woman's history and uses this to estimate the risk of breast cancer. By gathering the information used for the Gail Model tool and talking with your doctor, you can gain a better understanding of your personal breast cancer risk factors.
