Believing that injections of fat-derived stem cells have the potential to regenerate breast tissues, the use of adipose or fat stem cells is being studied as an alternative to breast reconstruction surgery. Said option may represent a better solution for soft tissue reconstruction in breast cancer patients.

With the National Cancer Institute (ANI) funding and pursuing the research, the doctors expressed this concern:

"The surgical options for breast reconstruction involve either the use of implants or a procedure whereby fat tissue taken from another part of the body is shaped into the form of a breast. Neither is ideal nor without risk."

A team of US researchers led by Dr. J. Peter Rubin, assistant professor of plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Pittsburg School of Medicine, is focusing their efforts on an approach that involves combining the fat-derived stem cells with microscopic beads composed of a type of extracellular matrix (ECM) that has regenerative properties.

Announced on October 27, results of the preliminary study have shown that the stem cells can easily attach with the beads, and are able to differentiate into mature fat cells.

In the laboratory, fat-derived stem cells were obtained from breast cancer patients, and were injected on animal models, eventually "mound" of tissues were formed.

However, as the researchers seek to understand what effect, these stem cells may have on cancer cells, if any, caution were expressed on whether the process will in some way promote the growth of cancer cells.