There are times when breast surgery may be required as part of a breast cancer treatment plan – you may be referred by your Primary Medical Doctor, Radiologist, Medical Oncologist or GYN when a surgical consultation is warranted. Surgical consults are generally required with an abnormal breast lesion( Atypia, Radial Scar, etc. ) is discovered or with a breast cancer diagnosis. Our Board Certified surgeons, nurses and support staff are committed to providing each patient with as much information and guidance to make the best decision for their specific care.
SURGERY FOR BREAST CANCER
Most women with breast cancer have some type of surgery. Surgery is often needed to remove a breast tumor. Options for this include breast-conserving surgery and mastectomy. Breast reconstruction can be done at the same time as surgery or later on. Surgery is also used to check the lymph nodes under the arm for cancer spread. Options for this include a sentinel lymph node biopsy and an axillary (armpit) lymph node dissection.
Lumpectomy
Removes only the breast lump and a surrounding margin of normal tissue. Radiation therapy is usually given after a lumpectomy. If adjuvant chemotherapy is to be given as well, radiation is usually delayed until the chemotherapy is completed.
Mastectomy
Surgery to remove the whole breast. Some of the lymph nodes under the arm may also be removed. Also called simple mastectomy.
Radical Mastectomy
Surgery for breast cancer in which the breast, chest muscles, and all of the lymph nodes under the arm are removed. For many years, this was the breast cancer operation used most often, but it is used rarely now. Doctors consider radical mastectomy only when the tumor has spread to the chest muscles.
Preventative Mastectomy
Surgery to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by removing one or both breasts before disease develops. Also called prophylactic mastectomy. For most women with stage I or II breast cancer, breast-conserving surgery (BCS) plus radiation therapy is as effective as mastectomy. Survival rates of women treated with these 2 approaches are the same.
