Breast Cancer 101

A Guide to Breast Cancer by Susan G. Komen

CHAPTER 8

Surgery

CHAPTER 8

Surgery

Chapter Overview

Surgery to remove a tumor from the breast is the most common treatment for many breast cancers. This chapter discusses the 2 main types of breast cancer surgery, lumpectomy and mastectomy, and the benefits and limitations of each.

It also goes over the side effects of surgery and the potential for breast reconstruction which can help restore the look of the breast following surgery.

The following topics are discussed in this section:

  • Types of Surgery
    • Goal of breast cancer surgery
    • Two main types of breast cancer surgery
    • Treatment effectiveness of surgery
    • Implications for additional treatment
  • Lumpectomy
    • Description of the procedure
    • Indications for lumpectomy
  • Mastectomy
    • Simple mastectomy
    • Radical mastectomy
  • Side Effects of Surgery
    • Localized pain
    • Arm stiffness and pain
    • Restricted arm movement
    • Arm and chest numbness
    • Lymphedema
  • Breast Reconstruction
    • Candidates for breast reconstruction
    • Immediate vs. delayed reconstruction
    • Benefits of reconstruction
    • Implants vs. existing tissue reconstruction
    • Reconstruction with implants
    • Reconstruction with skin and tissue grafts
    • Side effects of reconstructive surgery