Breast Cancer Surgery Treatment
Mention the word surgery in relation to breast cancer and many people will shudder. However medical technology has advanced so that breast cancer surgery treatment is more precise than in previous years. Treatment is now more effective than ever, with much quicker recovery times, lower instances of recurrence and very little scarring involved.
Today the disease, and how it acts, is better understood, so surgery alone is no longer the only treatment option available. Each breast cancer case is unique, so all available options are discussed and decided on by both the patient and the specialist.
A lumpectomy is often chosen as one of the methods to fight cancer. This procedure removes the cancerous lump during breast cancer surgery treatment. The amount of surrounding tissue that is taken varies in every case. While the surgery is being performed, the surgeon will decide how much tissue is needed to be taken to lower the risk of the cancer recurring.
Lymph nodes are sometimes also removed during a lumpectomy, depending on the location, size and length of time the tumor has been growing. A key part of the immune system, lymph nodes are oval, bean sized glands that are connected to a system that runs through the body, fighting bacteria and foreign bodies.
If cancer is believed to have spread to a lymph node, it will be removed to prevent the spread of the cancer through the vessels that connect lymph nodes throughout the body. Cancer becomes far more difficult to treat if it does begin to spread. If that situation does occur, chemotherapy or radiation treatment is often used to combat the cancer.
To help minimize the chances of the cancer spreading, lymph nodes that are close to a cancerous tumor will sometimes be removed by the surgeon. The nodes will then be tested for any cancer cells. Depending on the results of the tests, different treatment plans will be recommended and discussed between patient and physicians.
Like most cancers, breast cancer develops in stages. These stages are based on the location, size and type of tumor/s that the cancer is made up of. Occasionally, a lumpectomy may not suffice, and more invasive surgery will need to be performed. Sometimes called a quadrantectomy, a patient and doctor may opt for this procedure, which is a partial mastectomy.
A larger amount of breast tissue is removed during this procedure, and radiation therapy, lasting between six to eight weeks, often follows this type of breast cancer surgery treatment. The radiation treatment helps to ensure that any remaining cancer cells are destroyed after the surgery.
A mastectomy (the entire removal of the breast) is rarely recommended and performed today, due to the advancement of other treatments. Only the most extreme cases will this procedure be put forward as an option. There are several grades of mastectomy. A simple, or total mastectomy, means that the lymph nodes are not removed. A modified radical mastectomy indicates that all breast tissue, nipple and lymph nodes in the armpit have been removed.
A radical mastectomy goes another step further and the accompanying chest wall muscles are also removed during surgery. This is now an extremely rare procedure. On the occasions when it is required, appearance can now be restored through highly sophisticated reconstructive surgery.
Recovery time and hospital duration differs depending on the breast cancer surgery treatment. A simple lumpectomy will normally see patients treated as an outpatient, while more invasive surgeries can require the patient to remain in hospital for up to a week. Make sure that before you make any treatment decisions that you have discussed all your options with your physician. If you feel that your questions aren’t being answered, find another physician who will explain your options. You can only choose a proper treatment when you know, and understand, what your options are.
Introduction to Breast Cancer
Environmental and Lifestyle Breast Cancer Risk Factors
Genetic Breast Cancer Risk Factors
Breast Cancer Diagnosis - Breast Cancer Test
Breast Cancer Prevention – How to Prevent Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Self Exam - Diagnosing Breast Cancer
Breast Cancer Stages – Breast Cancer Survival Rates
Breast Cancer Treatment
Breast Cancer Diet Tests and Research
Chemotherapy Breast Cancer Medication
Breast Cancer Mammogram Diagnosis
Breast Cancer Statistics, Diagnosis and Treatments
Breast Cancer Reconstruction Surgery Treatments
Breast Cancer Radiation Treatment
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