Profile: Surgeon Dr. Ron Somogyi

 

Several months ago Jessica tested positive for BRCA2, a gene mutation that increases the risk for breast cancer. In her early 30s, Jessica was referred to North York General Hospital (NYGH) for a consultation with specialists in breast surgery and reconstruction.

“This has been such an emotional journey for me, and when I decided to have a double mastectomy I was hoping I would be a candidate for immediate reconstruction,” says Jessica (last name withheld at patient's request). “I met with the whole team and was so happy when Dr. Somogyi told me I was going to be able to have my mastectomy and reconstruction all done in one operation. He made me feel so comfortable, answering all my questions like I was a member of his family.”

Dr. Ron Somogyi, a plastic surgeon specializing in breast reconstruction, has been with North York General Hospital since 2014. He is a leader among a growing group of plastic surgeons in Canada who work with general surgeons to restore the breast at the same time as the breast cancer surgery. When appropriate, a patient can have her cancer removed from the breast and have one or both breasts reconstructed using modern plastic surgery techniques.

Dr. Ron Somogyi, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, North York General Hospital

Dr. Ron Somogyi, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, North York General Hospital

Why did you pursue a specialty in breast reconstruction?

“It's interesting, when I talk to a patient who is interested in aesthetic surgery and I ask them what they are hoping for, most people say they want to look like someone else, but when I talk to women with breast cancer, they tell me they want to look the same. Helping them return to normal is a huge privilege.”

I am passionate about minimizing the emotional and psychological harm breast cancer can cause by restoring the shape and symmetry as early as possible in my patient’s journey.

Why did you decide to specialize in plastic surgery?

I love practising plastic surgery because every case is unique and every patient is unique. Every procedure I do is totally customized to the patient — I never do the same procedure twice. In breast reconstruction, specifically, I love that I work in a multidisciplinary team with so many other specialists.

How do you and your colleagues balance a patient's clinical (treatment needs) with aesthetic ones?

Our number one priority is always that the cancer is properly treated. However, with our current understanding that reconstruction is an essential part of recovery from breast cancer, we have made the patient’s aesthetic goals a parallel priority. I truly believe that every breast cancer patient should be cared for in this way.

Why do you like practising at NYGH?

The patient-centered culture at North York General and the resources our hospital has dedicated to the breast cancer program make it possible for me to truly offer each patient the best procedure for their unique case. Instead of telling my patient what option is available, I can go through the full gamut of options and together we can decide what the right option for them is.

New advances in both materials and techniques have changed breast reconstruction from restoring normality to producing incredible results. Immediate breast reconstruction, thought of in this way, is on the cusp of being the standard of care, and I am proud to work at a hospital that is a leader in this area.

Dr. Somogyi graduated from medical school at the University of Toronto. He completed his plastic surgery residency training in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Toronto. In addition, he completed a fellowship in cancer reconstruction at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia followed by a second fellowship in general and aesthetic surgery at the Melbourne Institute of Plastic Surgery.

Learn more about our breast cancer care program – which includes the BMO Financial Group Breast Diagnostic Centre – the first comprehensive breast cancer care program in Canada to receive full accreditation from the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons. Read the news release or go to the article in the June 2016 issue of The Pulse.

This article first appeared in the December 2016January 2017 issue of The Pulse.

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