Weight loss and obesity have been in the news again, mostly due to new drugs being approved to treat obesity. Because of this, it’s a good opportunity to provide an update on obesity and breast cancer. A recent study came out focusing on women with BRCA mutations and how obesity affected their cancer risk. The study’s basic conclusion was that post-menopausal obesity increases the risk of breast cancer in people with a BRCA mutation. This information is not necessarily new, but there hasn’t been a lot of research on this population regarding obesity, so this study provides a more complete view of the risk. 

The Future Of DIEP Flap: Ensuring Continued Access To Innovative Breast Reconstruction

Recently, VBCF joined the Community Breast Reconstruction Alliance (CBRA), a group of patient advocacy organizations and healthcare providers working together to advocate for access to deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap breast reconstruction surgery. Access to DIEP flap reconstruction is at risk because the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced plans to eliminate three procedure insurance codes and instead group all autologous (or “flap”) breast reconstruction surgeries under the same insurance code. Some health plans are moving quickly to use the new code and only reimburse for less advanced surgery and/or reduce payment for DIEP flap procedures. If action is not taken, DIEP flap surgery may only be an option for those who can pay out of pocket for the surgery – at a cost of up to $50,000 or more.