Skip to main content

Bioethics and Medicolegal Aspects in Breast Cancer Reconstruction

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Oncoplastic and Reconstructive Breast Surgery

Abstract

Bioethics is the systematic study of the moral dimensions of the life sciences and health care, employing a variety of ethical methodologies in an interdisciplinary setting. The integration of bioethics in reconstructive breast cancer surgery is essential, because few diseases represent such a complexity from the scientific, psychological, therapeutic, ethical, and social point of view as breast cancer. Surgeons who are dedicated to this delicate field of work face daily situations that demand great sensibility and deep bioethical and medicolegal analysis. Therefore, this chapter approached the most relevant bioethical issues and medicolegal aspects concerning breast cancer treatment like research, public health care, genetics, clinical bioethics, and medicolegal aspects, with a special focus on breast cancer reconstruction dilemmas and the need for introducing bioethics and medicolegal aspects in the educational programs for specialists.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Callahan D (2004) Bioethics. In: Post SG (ed) Encyclopedia of bioethics. Thomson & Gale, New York, pp 278–287

    Google Scholar 

  2. Jonsen AR, Siegler M, Winslade WJ (2010) Clinical ethics, 7th edn. McGraw Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  3. Beecher HK (1966) Ethics and clinical research. N Engl J Med 274(24):1354–1360

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Emanuel EJ, Wendler D, Grady C (2000) What makes clinical research ethical? JAMA 283(20):2701–2711

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Emanuel EJ, Currie XE, Herman A (2005) Undue inducement in clinical research in developing countries: is it a worry? Lancet 366(9482):336–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Callahan D (1999) False hopes: overcoming the obstacles to a sustainable, affordable medicine. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick

    Google Scholar 

  7. Dalen JE (2000) Health care in America: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Arch Intern Med 160(17):2573–2576

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Herzlinger R (2007) Who killed health care? America’s $2 trillion medical problems and the consumer-driven cure. McGraw Hill, New York

    Google Scholar 

  9. Forouzanfar MH, Foreman KJ, Delossantos AM, Lozano R, Lopez AD, Murray CJ et al (2011) Breast and cervical cancer in 187 countries between 1980 and 2010: a systematic analysis. Lancet 378(9801):1461–1484

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Malone KE, Daling JR, Thompson JD, O’Brien CA, Francisco LV, Ostrander EA (1998) BRCA1 mutations and breast cancer in the general population: analyses in women before age 35 years and in women before age 45 years with first-degree family history. JAMA 279(12):922–929

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Couch FJ, DeShano ML, Blackwood MA, Calzone K, Stopfer J, Campeau L et al (1997) BRCA1 mutations in women attending clinics that evaluate the risk of breast cancer. N Engl J Med 336(20):1409–1415

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Paluch S, Cardoso F, Sessa C, Balmana J, Cardoso MJ, Gilbert F (2016) Prevention and screening in BRCA mutation carriers and other breast/ovarian hereditary cancer syndromes: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for cancer prevention and screening. Ann Oncol 27(suppl_S):v103–v110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Newman B, Austin MA, Lee M, King MC (1988) Inheritance of human breast cancer: evidence for autosomal dominant transmission in high-risk families. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 85(9):3044–3048

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Struewing JP, Hartge P, Wacholder S, Baker SM, Berlin M, McAdams M et al (1997) The risk of cancer associated with specific mutations of BRCA1 and BRCA2 among Ashkenazi Jews. N Engl J Med 336(20):1401–1408

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Thull DL, Vogel VG (2004) Recognition and management of hereditary breast cancer syndromes. Oncologist 9(1):13–24

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. National Comprehnsive Cancer Network version 2. 6 Apr 2017. https://www.nccn.org

  17. American Society of Clinical Oncology (2003) American Society of Clinical Oncology policy statement update: genetic testing for cancer susceptibility. J Clin Oncol 21(12):2397–2406

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Lowrey KM (2004) Legal and ethical issues in cancer genetics nursing. Semin Oncol Nurs 20(3):203–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Guillem JG, Wood WC, Moley JF, Berchuck A, Karlan BY, Mutch DG et al (2006) ASCO/SSO review of current role of risk-reducing surgery in common hereditary cancer syndromes. J Clin Oncol 24(28):4642–4660

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Hartmann LC, Schaid DJ, Woods JE, Crotty TP, Myers JL, Arnold PG et al (1999) Efficacy of bilateral prophylactic mastectomy in women with a family history of breast cancer. N Engl J Med 340(2):77–84

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Rebbeck TR, Friebel T, Lynch HT, Neuhausen SL, van’t Veer L, Garber JE et al (2004) Bilateral prophylactic mastectomy reduces breast cancer risk in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers: the PROSE Study Group. J Clin Oncol 22(6):1055–1062

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Hartmann LC, Sellers TA, Schaid DJ, Frank TS, Soderberg CL, Sitta DL et al (2001) Efficacy of bilateral prophylactic mastectomy in BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutation carriers. J Natl Cancer Inst 93(21):1633–1637

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Heemskerk-Gerritsen BA, Brekelmans CT, Menke-Pluymers MB, van Geel AN, Tilanus-Linthorst MM, Bartels CC et al (2007) Prophylactic mastectomy in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and women at risk of hereditary breast cancer: long-term experiences at the Rotterdam Family Cancer Clinic. Ann Surg Oncol 14(12):3335–3344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Meijers-Heijboer H, van Geel B, van Putten WL, Henzen-Logmans SC, Seynaeve C, Menke-Pluymers MB et al (2001) Breast cancer after prophylactic bilateral mastectomy in women with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation. N Engl J Med 345(3):159–164

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Sacchini V, Pinotti JA, Barros AC, Luini A, Pluchinotta A, Pinotti M et al (2006) Nipple-sparing mastectomy for breast cancer and risk reduction: oncologic or technical problem? J Am Coll Surg 203(5):704–714

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Harris M, Winship I, Spriggs M (2005) Controversies and ethical issues in cancer-genetics clinics. Lancet Oncol 6(5):301–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Clayton EW (2003) Ethical, legal, and social implications of genomic medicine. N Engl J Med 349(6):562–569

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Armstrong K, Calzone K, Stopfer J, Fitzgerald G, Coyne J, Weber B (2000) Factors associated with decisions about clinical BRCA1/2 testing. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 9(11):1251–1254

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Armstrong K, Weber B, FitzGerald G, Hershey JC, Pauly MV, Lemaire J et al (2003) Life insurance and breast cancer risk assessment: adverse selection, genetic testing decisions, and discrimination. Am J Med Genet A 120A(3):359–364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Peterson EA, Milliron KJ, Lewis KE, Goold SD, Merajver SD (2002) Health insurance and discrimination concerns and BRCA1/2 testing in a clinic population. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 11(1):79–87

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Post SG, Puchalski CM, Larson DB (2000) Physicians and patient spirituality: professional boundaries, competency, and ethics. Ann Intern Med 132(7):578–583

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Gorney M (1999) The wheel of misfortune. Genesis of malpractice claims. Clin Plast Surg 26(1):15–19, v

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Gorney M (2001) Preventing litigation in breast augmentation. Clin Plast Surg 28(3):607–615

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Saxton JWKP, Baker L, Reifsteck S (2006) Communication strategies to help patients H.E.A.L. HCPro Inc, Marblehead

    Google Scholar 

  35. Saxton J (2007) The satisfied patient: a guide to preventing claims by providing excellent customer service, 2nd edn. HCPro Inc, Marblehead

    Google Scholar 

  36. Wojcieszak DSJ, Finkelstein MF (2010) Sorry works! Disclosure, apology, and relationships prevent medical malpractice claims, 2nd edn. Authorhouse, Bloomington

    Google Scholar 

  37. Banja J (2005) Medical errors and medical narcissism. Jones and Bartlett, Sudbury

    Google Scholar 

  38. Gorney M, Martello J (1999) The genesis of plastic surgeon claims. A review of recurring problems. Clin Plast Surg 26(1):123–131, ix

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  39. Shestak K (2006) Reoperative plastic surgery of the breast. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Urban, C., Rabinovich, I., Hurley, J., Rietjens, M., Anselmi, K.F. (2019). Bioethics and Medicolegal Aspects in Breast Cancer Reconstruction. In: Urban, C., Rietjens, M., El-Tamer, M., Sacchini, V.S. (eds) Oncoplastic and Reconstructive Breast Surgery. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62927-8_73

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62927-8_73

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-62925-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-62927-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics