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Optimizing Outcomes in Breast Cancer - Oncoplastic Training for Canadian & International Surgeons
Optimizing Outcomes in Breast Cancer - Oncoplastic Training for Canadian & International Surgeons
Optimizing Outcomes in Breast Cancer - Oncoplastic Training for Canadian & International Surgeons
Our first virtual hands on Partnership Workshop!

Welcome

Breast surgery is a dynamic field, where treatments evolve and improve over time. Oncoplastic surgery is one of these evolutions which has gained momentum worldwide and is rapidly becoming an expected surgical option for women wishing breast conservation. The benefits of Oncoplastic surgery have been well documented in the literature, ranging from increased rates of breast conservation, improved cosmetic outcomes, superior patient satisfaction and higher self-reported quality of life. These techniques allow for resection of greater tumour sizes with low margin positivity rates, while maintaining cosmetically pleasing breast contours. The Oncoplastic Partnership Workshop (OPW) was created to offer surgeons an opportunity to learn Oncoplastic techniques locally as well as virtually.

Barriers to implementing Oncoplastic surgery include lack of training or plastic surgery support, lack of support from colleagues/institution, need for ongoing longitudinal learning and complex logistics. This course aims to address all these barriers with a combination of didactic lectures, comprehensive videos, case discussions, breast marking tutorials and small group hands-on learning. OPW has run courses using cadaver labs, mastotrainer hands-on sessions, patient volunteers for incision and breast reduction markings and individual silicone breast models to practice surgical techniques.

As a result of the global COVID_19 pandemic, the Oncoplastic Partnership Workshop ran the FIRST EVER Virtual Hands-on course in March 2021, where silicone breast models were mailed to participants and small group live online sessions were used to teach a variety of surgical skills to surgeons across Canada and internationally.

We hope you will join this important movement in Breast surgery, improving the outcomes of breast cancer patients by becoming familiar with options that utilize plastic surgery techniques to improve breast conservation and cosmetic outcomes in your patients. Once familiar with these techniques, we encourage you to practice and gain confidence, seek out colleagues to discuss cases and continue to improve your skills for optimal patient benefit. We encourage you to sign up for any of our upcoming courses to learn what you need to know to become an Oncoplastic Surgeon.

Target Audience

  • General Surgeons
  • Breast Surgeons
  • Surgical Oncologists


The Oncoplastic Partnership Workshop has conducted several hands-on oncoplastic training courses per year since 2016, training over 300 mostly community-based Canadian general surgeons interested in improving their breast surgical skills.

The continued success of the Oncoplastic Partnership Workshop Series has been due to a combination of excellent instructors, dedicated learners and a commitment to learning by our industry representatives. With this in mind, we encourage you to join us in the learning experience and become part of the Breast Oncoplastic community.

Core Faculty Members

Angel Arnaout, MD MSc FRCSC FACS

Breast Surgical Oncologist and General Surgeon
Medical Director, Ottawa Women’s Breast Health Center
Associate Scientist, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Professor, University of Ottawa

Muriel Brackstone, MD, PhD, FRCSC

Surgical Oncologist
Medical Director, London Breast Care Clinic
Professor, Western University, London, Ontario

Renee M Hanrahan, MD, FRCSC

Oncologic and Reconstructive Breast Surgeon, General Surgeon
Royal Victoria Regional Hospital and Simcoe Muskoka Regional Cancer Centre, Barrie
Chief of General Surgery, Royal Victoria Hospital, Barrie

Marianna Kapala, MD, FRCSC

General Surgeon, Trillium Health Partners
Medical Director, Queensway Breast Diagnostic Assessment Centre
Adjunct Lecturer, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto

Lashan Peiris MBBS (Lon) BSc (Lon) FRCS Gen Surg (Lon)

Oncoplastic & Reconstructive Breast and General Surgeon,
Misericordia Community Hospital,
University of Alberta

Jeannie Richardson MD, FRCSC

General Surgeon, Trillium Health Partners
Lead, General Surgery, Mississauga Hospital and Queensway Health Centre
Lecturer, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto