Breast cancer reconstruction is all too often considered nonessential, despite the fact that it addresses profound aspects of identity, confidence, and quality of life following cancer treatment. This perception reflects a broader pattern in which women’s health needs are undervalued unless they are life or death.
The path forward requires funders, practitioners, and policymakers to embed reconstruction into cancer pathways from the start, invest in training, systems, and infrastructure, and support patient networks to address stigma and disparities.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, with more than 2.3 million women a year receiving a diagnosis. But the story of treatment and survivability varies drastically by location.