Oncoplastic and Reconstructive Breast Surgery: Who Is in Charge to Do It?

Oncoplastic breast surgery (OBS) has been abreakthrough in the surgical management of breastcancer. Evolving and improving within recentdecades, it might be time to reassess this noveltechnique to discuss who would be responsible forapplying these techniques. Within many centers inthe North America, a team of oncologic and plasticsurgeons collaborates in performing oncoplasticbreast surgeries together, whereas, in Europeancancer centers, breast surgeons are generallyresponsible for both oncologic and oncoplasticprocedures. So in this letter, the benefits and thedisadvantages of each approach are discussed.Initially, the "oncoplasty" term was introduced inmedical terminology through the first half of the1990s, and its main purpose was the treatment ofbreast cancer as R0 resection in addition to preservinga normal and symmetrical breasts appearance.1 Soonafter, the techniques are extensively developed in theway that within 15 years the techniques arerecognized as a standard modality in the surgicaltreatment of breast cancer according to the favorablecosmetic outcome and as a result less psychologicconsequences.