Surgery for Breast Cancer

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, then it is likely that your surgeon will recommend a mastectomy operation. There are several variations of the mastectomy procedure, and the most suitable for you will depend on your situation and the extent of the tumours in your breasts.
If the tumour in your breast is small, then you may undergo a lumpectomy procedure. This is a common, safe procedure and involves removal of the lump and some of the healthy tissue surrounding it, to be sure that all of the tumour cells have been removed.

If the tumour is large or there are several within the breast, then a mastectomy is the more appropriate procedure. This is surgical removal of the entire breast. A simple, or total, mastectomy is when all of the breast tissue is removed. The words "simple" and "total" are interchangeable, and you may find your surgeon using either one of them when discussing the procedure with you. You may need to undergo chemotherapy or hormone treatment before the operation to try and shrink the size of the tumours, making surgery easier to perform. You may be offered a reconstruction at the same time as the removal operation; this is becoming standard medical practice as it helps to reduce the trauma experienced by patients who have had either one or both breasts removed. You do not need to take up this option, but it is something you may wish to consider.

If the cancer is thought to have spread further than the breast tissue, then you may need to undergo a radical mastectomy, which also involves the removal of the underlying chest wall muscle. This is highly unusual and will only be done if the tumours have spread into this area of muscle.

Whichever type of mastectomy you undergo, your surgeon may also take the opportunity to biopsy the lymph nodes in your armpit. This is done through the same incision as the mastectomy, so will not result in any additional scar tissue.

Surgery to remove the breasts can often be traumatic, whether you are having the procedure to remove cancer or because you have a strong family history of the disease and want to prevent it from occurring. This is why immediate reconstruction is now offered whenever possible, and it is recommended that you discuss this with your surgeon and breast care nurse, who will be able to give you all of the relevant information. There are also a number of support groups for women who have undergone, or are about to have, the procedure, and it can sometimes be helpful to make contact with these. The members will be able to talk to you about their own experiences, which can be worthwhile if you are at all concerned. Speak to your breast care nurse, who will be able to give you the contact details for your local group.