Surgical Treatment of Breast Cancer

Surgery is still one of the main treatments for breast cancer. The choice of surgical methods is depended on the severity of breast cancer, but the main the general trend is to minimize the surgical damage and try to keep the breast under conditions in the permit. No matter what kind of surgical procedures used, it is the principle that it must be radical treatment and supplemented maintaining the main function and appearance. The types of breast cancer surgery

The surgeon will discuss your options with you before surgery. A specific surgical procedure may be recommended for you based on the size, location, or type of breast cancer you have. Some of the procedures you may discuss with your doctor include:

• Lumpectomy
• Partial or Segmental Mastectomy
• Total Mastectomy
• Modified Radical Mastectomy
• Radical Mastectomy

Lumpectomy

Lumpectomy referred to as breast-conserving therapy. The cancerous area and a surrounding margin of normal tissue are removed. Also, the lymph nodes may be removed. This treatment aims to maintain a normal breast appearance after the surgery.

After the lumpectomy, a five- to eight-week course of radiation therapy is often used to treat the remaining breast tissue. The surgical candidates are the women who have small, early-stage breast cancers for this treatment approach; Women who are not usually eligible for a lumpectomy include those who have already had radiation therapy to the affected breast, have two or more areas of cancer in the same breast that are too far apart to be removed through one incision, or have cancer that was not completely removed during the lumpectomy surgery

Partial or Segmental Mastectomy

During a partial or segmental mastectomy, more breast tissue than with a lumpectomy is removed. Not only the cancerous area and a surrounding margin of normal tissue are removed, but also radiation therapy is usually given after surgery for six to eight weeks.

Total Mastectomy

With a total mastectomy, the surgeon removed the entire breast, but lymph nodes are not removed. Simple mastectomy is most frequently used for further cancer prevention or when the cancer does not go to the lymph nodes.

Modified Radical Mastectomy

Modified radical mastectomy refers to that all of the breast tissue is removed along with the nipple. Axillary lymph nodes are also removed. The chest muscles are left intact. For many patients, mastectomy is accompanied by either an immediate or delayed breast reconstruction. This can be done quite effectively using either breast implants or the patient’s own tissue.

Radical Mastectomy

With a radical mastectomy, the surgeon removes all of the breast tissue along with the nipple, lymph nodes in the armpit, and chest wall muscles under the breast. This procedure is rarely performed today because modified radical mastectomy has proved to be as effective, and is less disfiguring.

You should thoroughly discuss these surgical options with your physician to achieve the best outcome. Whichever type of surgery is your best option, you will be able to return home after a short stay in the hospital.