Breast cancer develops from mutated cells within the breast that divide uncontrollably to form a tumor. The type of breast cancer is determined by the cell type the cancer originated from and the invasiveness of the tumor. A number of surgical methods have been developed to remove cancerous material from the breast, and to test the invasiveness of the cancer. The type of surgery performed depends on the severity of the tumor and the stage of treatment.
Mastectomy
Mastectomy is also called breast removal surgery, and involves complete removal of the breast tissue. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, a number of different mastectomy procedures can be done to remove breast cancer, depending on the severity of the tumor.
Subcutaneous mastectomy involves complete removal of the breast tissue, while preserving the overlying skin, nipple and areola, which is the pigmented skin surrounding the nipple. Simple mastectomy removes the breast tissue as well as the nipple and areola. Modified radical mastectomy removes the breast tissue and skin, as well as the lining over the pectoral muscles. Radical mastectomy is the most severe surgery, and it involves removal of the entire breast and overlying skin, as well as all the lymph nodes around the breasts, and the underlying chest muscles.
The University of Maryland notes that mastectomy may be accompanied by removal or lymph nodes to test the invasiveness of the cancer.
Lumpectomy
A lumpectomy removes cancerous tissue from the breast without fully removing the breast, and it is also referred to as breast-conserving surgery. According to Oregon Health and Science University, a lumpectomy involves removing the tumor along with some surrounding tissue, while leaving in place the unaffected breast tissue and the overlying skin, areola and nipple. The surgeon may remove some lymph nodes to test the invasiveness of the cancer.
Radiotherapy may follow a lumpectomy to prevent development of cancer in the remaining breast tissue. A 1993 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that women who received radiation therapy after lumpectomy had a lower incidence of cancer recurrence over five years than women who received lumpectomy surgery without radiation.
Sentinel Node Biopsy
Sentinel node biopsy is a type of surgery used to prevent the spread of cancer. Often, breast cancer spreads to the lymph nodes as an initial stage of cancer metastasis. According to the Fox Chase Cancer Center, sentinel node biopsy involves removing lymph nodes that have the greatest risk of containing cancer, with the goal of preserving unaffected lymph nodes.
During a sentinel node biopsy, the surgeon injects a dye which identifies sentinel nodes, and then makes a small incision to remove the stained nodes. The removed nodes are viewed under a microscope to look for the presence of cancer, and if no cancer is found, then no further nodes are removed. If cancer is found, additional nodes are removed.
According to Fox Chase Medical Center, the sentinel node biopsy method is less invasive and less painful than other types of lymph node surgery, in which all the nodes are removed.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Mastectomy - Overview
- Oregon Health and Science University: LUMPECTOMY
- New England Journal of Medicine: Lumpectomy compared with lumpectomy and radiation therapy for the treatment of intraductal breast cancer
- Fox Chase Medical Center: Lymph-Node Surgery for Breast Cancer
