What are the different types of breast surgery/surgical treatments?
There are several types of breast surgery depending on the type and stage of cancer.
Lumpectomy
This type of surgery is known as breast-conserving surgery because it spares most of the breast tissue.
Only the area containing the cancer surrounded by a margin of normal breast tissue is removed.
If the cancer in your breast cannot be felt by touch you will have a procedure called a needle localization immediately before your lumpectomy surgery.
This procedure takes place in the breast imaging department.
A mammogram or an ultrasound is done to pinpoint the location of the cancer in your breast.
A thin wire is then inserted into this spot marking the area of breast tissue to be removed during surgery.
After a lumpectomy, the entire breast is usually treated with Radiation Therapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells in the breast.
Lymph Node Removal
Breast cancer cells can travel in lymph fluid from the breast to lymph nodes in your underarm area, called the axilla.
Your surgeon will remove some of the lyumph nodes in your axilla to send to a pathologist for examination.
A pathologist is a doctor who uses a microscope and special tests to see if any cancer cells are present.
The report from the pathologist gives your doctors important information that is used to decide if you need further treatment.
Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy
Your surgeon may recommend a sentinel lymph node biopsy.
The 'sentinel' node is the first lymph node (or nodes) in your underarm that receives lymph fluid from the area in your breast where the cancer is located.
These nodes are identified by injecting dye into the breast before surgery.
Axillary Lymph Node Dissection
Lymph nodes from your axilla (underarm) may be removed for pathological examination.
This may require a second incision in your armpit or through a lumpectomy incision.
Currently, this procedure is limited to patients known to have lymph node involvement.
Total (Simple) Mastectomy
In this procedure all the breast tissue is removed.
Modified Radical Mastectomy
In this procedure all the breast tissue is removed as well as some lymph nodes from the axilla (underarm).
In most cases no chest muscles are affected.
Skin Sparing Mastectomy
Contents to Come.
Breast Reconstruction
Breast reconstruction is often done by a plastic surgeon immediately after mastectomy but may be delayed.
The decision to have reconstruction surgery, and which type to have, is an individual one.
After you discuss it with your breast surgeon and plastic surgeon, you will be able to make a choice that is right for you.
Care after breast reconstruction with a tissue expander or implant is similar to care after a mastectomy.
Your plastic surgeon will speak with you about care after breast reconstruction.
