Breast Cancer Surgery
If you have a breast tumour and need to make the decision of which type of surgery to opt for, the choice is predominantly a question of how comfortable you feel with either option. Clinically there is little difference between the two types of surgery. Sometimes you will not be given the choice as the decision will be taken by your surgeon and in a way this is easier for the patient, when the decision is taken out of their hands. If however, you are given a choice on the type of breast cancer surgery preferred, then it is between a lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy or a mastectomy which is total removal of the breast.
Breast Cancer Surgery -Lumpectomy
In this type of breast cancer surgery, only the mass and some of the surrounding tissue is removed. This method conserves the breast itself. Strictly speaking, this is a partial mastectomy. After a lumpectomy procedure, the patient is subjected to 5 - 7 weeks of radiation therapy to ensure that no cancer cells remain. One thing that has to be taken into consideration though is that after a lumpectomy it is possible for the cancer to reoccur. Any reoccurrence can be treated with a mastectomy but this obviously means more surgery. On the other hand some women remain free of cancer for in excess of twenty years after a lumpectomy.
Occasionally there may be a numb feeling in the breast afterwards but some or even all of this sensation can possibly return. Breasts may not match in size or shape afterwards depending on the size of the lump that has been removed. A few days after the operation, the patient will get the results from the path lab. This will tell her the size of the tumour that has been removed and will also tell the doctor many more things which will influence his decision on what further treatment is necessary.
Breast Cancer Surgery -Mastectomy
This type of breast cancer surgery can be divided into three kinds:
1. Simple or total mastectomy
This is where the whole breast is removed but no lymph nodes are taken from under the arm and no muscle is taken from underneath the breast. This type of mastectomy is normally carried out on patients who have large areas of cancer. This is also suitable for anyone who has a family history of breast cancer in several generations and wants the mastectomy as a preventative measure.
2. Modified radical mastectomy
In this operation the breast tissue is removed and the lymph nodes are removed from under the arm with no muscle being removed from under the breast. This type of mastectomy is normally used on people who have omnipresent breast cancer. The removal of the lymph nodes assists the doctor in finding out the extent, if any, of further spread of the disease.
3. Radical mastectomy
This is where the whole breast, extensive lymph nodes and muscle from below the breast are removed. This is only carried out when the cancer has obviously spread to the muscles of the chest. This type of surgery is very effective and also less disfiguring.
The biggest decision when opting for a breast cancer surgery method is the aesthetic implications. Do you want to try and find a solution to save your breast or is it more important to have the reassurance that the cancer will not reoccur? After a lumpectomy procedure is performed, 5 - 7 weeks of radio therapy will be necessary and there is the risk that cancer after surgery may reappear.
After a mastectomy there will be a longer recovery period required as the surgery is more extreme, however it is possible to have reconstructive surgery afterwards. It is a difficult decision to make but when you are considering the options offered for breast cancer surgery it is also a very personal one. Talk to your doctor, surgeon and family but at the end of the day, make the decision that YOU want.