The development of an Oncoplastic Training Center - OTC

Introduction: Breast cancer now occurs worldwide and each country has its own approach to breast surgery, which is constantly evolving. A training program was established in Brazil to familiarize breast surgeons with basic oncoplastic techniques and recent developments. Materials and methods: The first 12 breast surgeons participating in the oncoplastic training program were surveyed regarding their experience of Urban's classification of oncoplastic procedures, and whether the training course met their expectations. Results: The most part (11) of the breast surgeons surveyed had been breast specialists for more than five years. Just under one third (27.3%) wished to perform oncoplastic procedures in conjunction with a plastic surgeon. After the course the experience of the first group showed that just over half (seven) of the twelve specialists developed their skills sufficiently to perform Urban procedures at level III, and eleven others could perform until level II procedures. Conclusion: Organized oncoplastic training centers can enable breast surgeons to undertake reconstructive breast procedures without the assistance of a plastic surgeon. (C) 2012 Surgical Associates Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.