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We normally find surgery to be the first method of treatment for breast cancer. The type of surgery is dependent:
- The stage in which cancer is
- The “personality” of the cancer growth
- What you perceive about the cancer
The Surgery
Each surgery for breast cancer differs in the way the doctor removes with the growth. The surgery is dependent on the amount of tissue that the doctor would remove. The doctor checks if the tumor has metasized. Metasized determines the spread of the tumor.
The surgery involves removal of the lymph nodes under the arm. Doctors test this lymph node to see if they have any visible traces of cancerous growth. They perform a surgery only after understanding this aspect.
The doctor analyses the growth, its size, location and understands its type. Doctors perform a surgery as per the type of the growth.
Pre Surgical Requirements
The patient takes a blood test before the surgery just in case, the patient requires blood during or after the surgery is over.
A detailed discussion with the doctor and patient is essential to decide on which surgery to go for and the doctor takes the patient’s level of comfort into consideration.
Types of Breast Cancer Surgery
- Lumpectomy
- Mastectomy or Quadrantectomy
- Total mastectomy
- Modified Radical Mastectomy
- Radical Mastectomy
Lumpectomy
Lumpectomy is the other name for the breast conserving therapy. Doctors remove the cancerous area and the normal tissues surrounding the growth. He also removes the lymph nodes. He makes a second incision if necessary. The lumpectomy ensures restoration of the shape of the breast after the surgery.
Partial or Segmental Mastectomy or Quadrantectomy
The doctor removes tissues from the breast. The tissues are more in breast cancer surgery than in lumpectomy. Similar to lumpectomy he removes the cancerous growth and the surrounding tissues
Post Surgical Care
Similar to lumpectomy, there is a radiation therapy six to eight weeks after the surgery is over.
Simple or Total Mastectomy
In this surgery, the entire removal of the breast is undertaken. The doctor does not remove the lymph nodes in this as is done in lumpectomy. A doctor performs this surgery when the cancer has not spread until the lymph nodes. This helps in preventing the growth of cancer.
Modified Radical Mastectomy
In this condition, the doctor removes the breast tissues along with the nipples of the breasts. The lymph nodes in the armpit area are also subject to removal. However, the muscles of the chest are not touched. He then follows a reconstruction process where he replaces the breast tissues. Either there is a breast implant or the patient’s own body tissues are used. The doctor takes the tissues from the patient’s abdomen for this purpose.
Breast Cancer and Radical Mastectomy
Nowadays, doctors do not prefer radical mastectomy so much as this is getting less popular and effective as it is extremely disfiguring.
Surgical Care
After the lumpectomy, there is a therapeutic radiation treatment for treating the remaining tissues in the breasts. This treatment works well for most of the women with an early stage breast cancer. Sometimes there are certain women who have more than two cancerous growths. Such women might have these growths far apart from each other. Again sometimes, they could have an inherent cancerous growth. They are not thus eligible for lumpectomy.
Hospital Stay
The duration of the hospital stay after a surgery for breast cancer depends on the type of surgery the patient is going for.
Lumpectomy generally requires the patient to be in the hospital only for a short time. Mastectomy needs a removal of the lymph nodes. This requires that the person stay a day or two in the hospital.
Lumpectomy Vs Mastectomy
Lumpectomy helps in the preservation of the appearance of the breast and does not compromise on its sensation. The recovery period is much less and needs the person to recoup in a short while. This kind of surgery is not invasive. Radiation therapy in this treatment stretches across five to seven weeks. This kind of therapy affects the options for future surgery as it affects the time required for reconstruction of breasts.
Lumpectomy sees recurrence of cancer Mastectomy has a longer recuperation time. However, mastectomy can treat a recurrence of breast cancer. Mastectomy results in a total loss of the breast. Reconstruction is possible with the help of additional surgeries.Thus, one can treat breast cancer by removing any cancerous growth.
