In the Israeli Ichilov Clinic, Breast Tumors are Removed Without Scars

At the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, a new technology has been implemented for the surgical removal of breast tumors, effectively addressing the issue of painful and unsightly scars. This innovative approach, which involves the use of two types of laser systems, has proven its effectiveness during a three-year study conducted by the clinic's specialists. The results were reported in the scientific journal Lasers in Medical Science.

Surgical resection remains the primary method for treating breast cancer, especially in cases where the disease is at an early stage and the tumor has not yet spread beyond its original location. However, after such an operation, no matter how professionally it is performed, scars invariably remain. They not only create a cosmetic defect, serving as a constant reminder of the illness, but also cause significant discomfort – pain, itching, and a feeling of tight skin, deforming adjacent tissues.

Until recently, to combat scar tissue, doctors used special silicone bandages and pressure dressings. In addition, patients were advised to reduce sun exposure, which is problematic in Israel, a country with one of the highest numbers of sunny days per year.

With the advent of medical lasers, the capabilities of plastic surgeons and dermatologists have significantly expanded. The fact that skin is composed of 70% water allows for the successful use of laser systems for scar and blemish correction. In the treated area, the temperature rises to several hundred degrees, and the heated layer of skin is instantly destroyed, turning into vapor. The destroyed pathological cells are exfoliated within a week, and soon new, healthy tissue forms in their place. This is particularly aided by the active synthesis of collagen that occurs under laser exposure – it is collagen that provides skin elasticity.

Promising Technique

In an experiment conducted at the Ichilov Medical Center over three years – from 2015 to 2018 – about twenty female patients aged 35 to 68 who underwent breast tumor removal participated. All of them received treatment for the resulting scars using the new technique within the first two to four weeks after surgery.

This technique involves the simultaneous use of two types of laser systems – a pulsed dye laser and an ablative fractional carbon dioxide laser. The former generates a wave length of 585–595 nm, and the doctor can independently adjust the pulse duration depending on the tasks at hand. The carbon dioxide laser operates by vibrating carbon dioxide molecules and primarily affects the surface layer of the skin.

During the study, specialists at Ichilov Hospital treated only half of each patient's scar, leaving the other half untreated for comparison. Each participant underwent three procedures lasting ten minutes with a four-week interval.

After six months, an independent assessment of the results was conducted. Doctors compared both halves of the scar – the treated one and the untreated one. They focused on the color of the scar, its thickness, and hardness. Additionally, women were surveyed about the intensity of pain and itching. The data obtained demonstrated that the condition of the treated part of the scar was significantly better compared to the untreated part.

The study was conducted by Professor Tamar Safra, head of the Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Professor Eli Shprecher, head of the Dermatology Department, as well as several leading plastic surgeons and dermatologists at Ichilov Hospital.

“Currently, when modern methods allow for high survival rates in breast cancer, and most women who have overcome the disease live for many more years after the removal of malignant tumors, the emergence of new ways to correct postoperative scars is of immense importance,” comments Professor Safra on her team's results.

According to her colleague, Professor Shprecher, thanks to scientific and technological progress, dermatologists around the world have added new therapeutic technologies to their arsenal, which they actively use for the benefit of their patients. He is confident that the quantity and quality of these technologies will only continue to grow.