Helena Ikonomidis Sackey

Affiliated to Research
Visiting address: Elite Hotell, plan 2, Eugeniavägen 6, 17164 Solna
Postal address: K1 Molekylär medicin och kirurgi, K1 MMK Bröstkirurgi, 171 76 Stockholm
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About me

  • I am a consultant breast surgeon at Karolinska University Hospital and my research focuses on postoperative morbidity and health-related quality of life following breast cancer surgery and gender-affirming surgery. I teach undergraduate medical students using team-based learning (TBL) and organise breast surgery courses for specialist surgeons.

Research

  • My research focuses on reducing postoperative morbidity and improving health-related quality of life following breast cancer surgery and gender-affirming surgery. I combine clinical studies, patient-reported outcomes, objective functional assessments and nationwide register data to identify opportunities for better surgical care and recovery. Current projects investigate long-term arm function and lymphoedema, complications after mastectomy and breast reconstruction, and associations between postoperative infections and oncological outcomes. We also study long-term quality of life and satisfaction following gender-affirming surgery.

    Future priorities include multicentre randomised trials to prevent wound complications and seroma, alongside translational research exploring how postoperative wound healing may influence cancer progression. The overarching aim is to develop evidence-based, patient-centred strategies that improve both recovery and long-term outcomes.

Teaching

  • I teach breast cancer surgery to undergraduate medical students at Karolinska Institutet and conduct team-based learning (TBL) seminars in breast and endocrine surgery at Karolinska University Hospital. I also write and grade questions for the surgical examination. For specialist surgeons, I direct a biennial advanced training course in breast surgery, melanoma surgery and basic plastic surgical techniques. As a member of the UEMS Breast Surgery Examination Committee, I contribute written questions to the European Board examination in breast surgery and serve as an oral examiner.

Articles

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Employments

  • Affiliated to Research, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, 2026-2028

Degrees and Education

  • Degree Of Doctor Of Philosophy, Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, 2014
  • University Medical Degree, Karolinska Institutet, 1999

Supervision

  • Supervision to doctoral degree

    • Antti Mikkola, Gender affirming surgery – Surgical techniques and patient related outcomes, 2025-
    • Matilda Appelgren, De-escalation of axillary surgery in breast cancer: patient experiences, arm morbidity, and health-related quality of life., 2025
    • Karin Hedström, Seroma after mastectomy for breast cancer. Incidence, Prevention, and Health-Related Quality of Lif, 2024-
    • Gran Isak, Patient reported outcomes after gender-affirming mastectomy, 2023-
    • Yihang Liu, Postoperative complications after reconstructive breast surgery: incidence, consequences and association with oncological outcomes, 2022-
    • Sars Carl, Sarcomas of the breast: an epidemiological and clinical investigation, 2021-
    • Kamali Alexander, Outcome and aspects on transgender breast surgery, 2017-

  • Supervision of postdoctoral researcher

    • Katarina Blom, 2025-

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