BREAST CANCER: LUMPECTOMY, OR BREAST CONSERVATION
Breast conservation, otherwise known as segmental mastectomy or lumpectomy or partial mastectomy, is the removal of only the tumor and a margin or border of normal tissue, and therefore only part of your breast. The malignant or cancerous tissue and a margin of healthy tissue (clean margins) are removed, along with some of the axillary nodes. Sometimes a quadrantectomy—removal of the quadrant (quarter or area) of breast in which the tumor is growing-will be recommended. This type of surgery is usually followed by a course of radiation therapy to treat the remainder of your breast.
Depending on how much tissue needs to be removed to achieve clean margins relative to the size of your breast, you may look more or less different than you did before the surgical procedures. Breast conservation may leave you completely satisfied with the cosmetic result, but be aware that some women are less happy with the outcome than others. If you feel truly unhappy with the appearance of your breast after all your treatment is over, it may be possible to undergo partial reconstruction. Talk with a plastic surgeon. Most women, however, decide over time that a less-than-perfect breast is a small price to pay for life.
Mastectomy, or Breast Removal
There are two types of mastectomy surgery, and you may be presented with options.
¦ A simple (total) mastectomy (including the nipple/areola), in which all breast tissue, but nothing else, is removed
¦ A modified radical mastectomy, in which all breast tissue and some axillary lymph nodes are removed
Keep in mind that there are also variations on these options which your surgeon or oncologist might also describe to you. You may also be told that you can choose to have breast reconstruction, either at the same time you have a mastectomy or at a later date. You may decide to have a mastectomy and no other surgery. Many women find they adapt comfortably to life with a prosthesis, and for them, this is an entirely acceptable choice.
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