Ms Sophie Helme

I offer a full range of breast conserving and reconstructive options and work closely with my plastic surgery colleagues for free flap reconstructions. I have a particular sensitivity for women who have breast symptoms and for those who ultimately are found to have breast cancer, as I am a mother of three young children and have personal experience of a close family member with breast cancer. I know the huge anxiety that is caused when women have concerns with their breasts, not only for themselves but for the impact it has on others around them. I therefore aspire to provide friendly and unhurried consultations to enable me to provide direct and balanced information and investigations for each individual person. Oncoplastic breast surgery is where cancer surgery (“onco”) is combined with plastic surgical techniques to try and optimise the best long term cosmetic outcome for women requiring breast cancer removal. This can be as complex as full reconstructive surgery after mastectomy or can enable women to keep their breast by reshaping the breast tissue after removing the cancerous part. There are various techniques available for both these situations and I am happy to explain to patients in as much detail as they would like which options are available to them on an individually tailored basis. I am also happy to see patients with other less life threatening conditions such as those with concerns with their family history, breast pain, nipple discharge, those unhappy with the size, shape or appearance of their breasts, as well as those wanting the reassurance of a breast assessment on an annual basis. I am a consultant in a very busy breast unit at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth and have been working there since 2013. We see and treat over 700 cancers per year with over 200 diagnosed via the breast screening programme. My enthusiasm for breast surgery started while still a medical student in the Edinburgh Breast Unit and my interest has continued to grow since. I have undertaken highly competitive and focused training in modern techniques in breast surgery, and am one of very few (if not the only) surgeons to have been selected for national training fellowships in both oncoplastic and cosmetic breast surgery. I was also awarded the prestigious Association of Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland Gold Medal prize for achieving the highest score in the Royal College of Surgeons’ final exit examination (FRCS).

Breast reduction surgery Benign breast problems Breast lump investigation/removal Cosmetic breast surgery Breast cancer and oncoplastic surgery