A mastectomy is surgery to remove a breast. It is performed either to treat or to prevent breast cancer. Only high-risk patients have surgery to prevent cancer. There are four main types:
- Total mastectomy - removal of breast tissue and nipple
- Modified radical mastectomy - removal of the breast, most of the lymph nodes under the arm and often the lining over the chest muscles
- Lumpectomy - surgery to remove the tumor and a small amount of normal tissue around it
- Radical mastectomy - the removal of the breast, lymph nodes and chest muscles. This is no longer common
Which surgery you have depends on the stage of cancer, size of the tumor, size of the breast and whether the lymph nodes are involved. Many women have breast reconstruction to rebuild the breast after a mastectomy.
National Cancer Institute
- Mastectomy(Breastcancer.org) - http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/mastectomy/
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Surgery Choices for Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer
(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/breast-cancer-surgery-choices
Also available in Spanish http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/las-primeras-etapas-del-cancer-de-seno/page1 - Surgical Procedures for Breast Cancer(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Surgery_5.asp?sitearea=
- Mastectomy: Surgery to Treat or Prevent Breast Cancer(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/mastectomy/WO00113/METHOD=print
- Aesthetic Results of Breast Surgery Can Be Improved(10/10/2008, Reuters Health) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70289.html
- MRIs Don't Improve Breast Cancer Care, Outcome(09/07/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68992.html
- New Screening Catches More Breast Cancers(09/04/2008, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_68876.html
- What Happens After Treatment for Breast Cancer?(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_5x_what_happens_after_treatment_5.asp?sitearea=cri
- Breast Cancer Treatment by Stage(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Treatment_by_Stage_Breast_Cancer_5.asp?rnav=cri
- Lumpectomy(Breastcancer.org) - http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/lumpectomy/index.jsp
- Lymph Node Removal(Breastcancer.org) - http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/lymph_node_removal/index.jsp
- Mastectomy vs. Lumpectomy(Breastcancer.org) - http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/mast_vs_lump.jsp
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Preventive Mastectomy: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/preventive-mastectomy
- Sentinel Lymph Node Dissection(Breastcancer.org) - http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/lymph_node_removal/sentinel_dissection/
- Skin-Sparing Mastectomy(Breastcancer.org) - http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/mastectomy/skinsparing.jsp
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Adjuvant Therapy for Breast Cancer: Questions and Answers(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Therapy/adjuvant-breast
- Breast Reconstruction After Mastectomy(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_6x_breast_reconstruction_after_mastectomy_5.asp
- Lymphedema: What Every Woman with Breast Cancer Should Know(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MIT/content/MIT_7_2x_Lymphedema_and_Breast_Cancer.asp
- Sexual Impact Following Breast Cancer Treatment(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MBC/content/MBC_3_2X_Other_Changes_From_Mastectomy_5.asp?sitearea=MBC
- What to Expect with Any Surgery(Breastcancer.org) - http://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/expectations/
- Pictures of Treatment (Breast Cancer Surgery)(Breastcancer.org) - http://www.breastcancer.org/pictures/treatment/index.jsp
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Breast Reconstruction: Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator - Requires Flash Player - One hour program - 1/11/2008 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/chp_1896/rnh.cfm?id=677
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Sentinel Lymph Node (SLN) Biopsy(OR-Live) - Requires Flash Player - One hour program - 10/10/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/geh_1678/rnh.cfm?id=643
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Surgical Advances in Axillary and Sentinel Lymph Node Dissections(OR-Live) - Requires Flash Player - One hour program - 12/04/2007 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/nlm-flash/ens_1881/rnh.cfm?id=662
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Mastectomy(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/intervention=mastectomy
- Cosmetic Results of Lumpectomy Impact Quality of Life(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_1_1x_Cosmetic_Results_of_Lumpectomy_Impact_Quality_of_Life.asp
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Moderate Weight Training Won't Worsen Lymphedema After Breast Cancer(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials/results/lymphedema0706
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Preventive Double Mastectomies Increasing Despite Some Concerns(National Cancer Institute) - http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/prevention/breast/preventive-mastectomies1107
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Outcomes of multiple wire localization for larger breast cancers: when... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18722938&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Risk factors for surgical site infection after major breast operation. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18722936&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: MDCT in the preoperative planning of abdominal perforator surgery for... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18716093&tool=MedlinePlus
- Mastectomy -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=mastectomy[majr]+AND+english[la]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+(patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+systematic[sb]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt]+OR+case+reports[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Breast Prostheses and Hair Loss Accessories List(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_6x_breast_prostheses_list_5.asp
- American Cancer Society - http://www.cancer.org/
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Breast Cancer Network of Strength - http://www.networkofstrength.org/
Also available in Spanish http://www.networkofstrength.org/espanol/
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National Cancer Institute - http://www.cancer.gov/
- Your Rights After a Mastectomy(Dept. of Labor) - http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/publications/whcra.html
- Breast Cancer in Men: Surgery(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_4X_Surgery_28.asp?sitearea=
- Treatment of Breast Cancer in Men by Stage(American Cancer Society) - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_4x_treatment_of_male_breast_cancer_by_stage_28.asp
- Breast Cancer - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/breastcancer.html
- Breast Reconstruction - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/breastreconstruction.html
- Lymphedema - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/lymphedema.html
- Female Reproductive System - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/femalereproductivesystem.html
- Surgery and Rehabilitation - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/surgeryandrehabilitation.html
- Women - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/women.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Mastectomy is the National Cancer Institute - http://www.nci.nih.gov/