• Breast Cancer Surgery: Lumpectomy, Breast Conserving Surgery, Mastectomy, and Side Effects
• Highlights
• Introduction
• Risk Factors
• Prevention and Lifestyle Factors
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis

Surgery

Surgery forms a part of nearly every patient's treatment for breast cancer. The initial surgical intervention is often a lumpectomy, the removal of the tumor itself. In the past, mastectomy (the removal of the breast) was the standard treatment for nearly all breast cancers. Now, many patients with early-stage cancers can choose breast-conserving treatment, or lumpectomy followed by radiation, with or without chemotherapy.

For invasive breast cancer, studies indicate that lumpectomy or...