A leading breast cancer surgeon has shared her own experience after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, shedding light on the emotional and medical challenges faced by patients and the drive to improve surgical care. Dr. Anne Peled, a San Francisco-based onco-plastic surgeon, was shocked to discover a lump in her breast just two years into her private practice, despite having no family history of breast cancer and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The diagnosis of invasive breast cancer came as she was about to operate on a patient with the same disease.
Dr. Peled’s journey through treatment highlighted the difficult choices patients must make. While many women diagnosed at a young age choose double mastectomy, Dr. Peled opted for a lumpectomy, hoping to preserve sensation and quality of life. She was able to combine this with reconstructive surgery, working with a team she had trained with herself. Even with her medical expertise, she found the decisions overwhelming.
Her experience as both a doctor and a patient inspired a new approach to breast cancer surgery. Together with her husband, Dr. Ziv Peled, a plastic surgeon, she developed sensation-preserving mastectomies. This innovative technique aims to spare or restore nerve function using nerve grafts, helping patients maintain sensation after surgery. Their research showed promising results, with 87% of patients in an initial study retaining sensation. Since then, they have performed at least 1,000 such procedures.
Dr. Peled’s story took another turn years later when she was diagnosed again, this time with a new cancer in the same breast. After further surgery and treatment, she reflected on the difficulties of recovery, both physically and emotionally. She emphasized the importance of sensation not just for comfort, but for day-to-day activities and safety. Dr. Peled also described the support she received from her own patients, illustrating a community built through shared experiences.
Through adversity, Dr. Peled used her expertise and her personal struggle to innovate in breast surgery. Her openness about her journey has provided encouragement to others facing similar challenges, and her work continues to improve outcomes for breast cancer patients. Her story underlines the deep connection between the scientific and human sides of medicine.
