When a woman receives a breast cancer diagnosis, a variety of treatment options are available to her. Surgery is typically the first treatment doctors turn to, and many types of surgery exist. The type of surgery the doctor performs depends on the severity of the cancer and whether or not it has spread to other areas of the breast.
Lumpectomy
A lumpectomy is a breast-conserving surgery, therefore only the tumor and some of the healthy tissue surrounding it is taken. The American Cancer Society (ACS) explains that radiation therapy is usually given after the surgery; this helps prevent a recurrence of the cancer by destroying stray cancer cells.
Partial Mastectomy
A partial mastectomy involves removing the tumor and a larger area of the healthy tissue than a lumpectomy, according to the ACS. Technically, a lumpectomy is a form of partial mastectomy, the difference being the amount of healthy tissue taken.
Total Mastectomy
Total mastectomies involve removal of the entire breast, which includes the nipple, areola and most of the overlying skin. In cases where a woman has cancer in both breasts, a double mastectomy is performed. Women may also have a mastectomy done as a preventative measure if they are at high risk for developing breast cancer. BreastCancer.org explains that this is known as a prophylactic mastectomy and breast removal is done to prevent cancer from occurring.
Modified Radical Mastectomy
A modified radical mastectomy is similar to a total mastectomy in that the entire breast, nipple and overlying skin is removed. In addition, the surgeon removes lymph nodes from the underarm to check for cancer cells, as lymph nodes transport these cells throughout the body. The lining over the chest muscles are also taken, according to the University of Virgina Health Center.
Radical Mastectomy
An extensive surgery, a radical mastectomy removes everything--the breast, lymph nodes, overlying skin, and the chest muscles. The University of Virginia states that for many years this was the standard operation, but is now performed only when the cancer spreads to the muscles of the chest. As the ACS explains, the modified radical mastectomy is just as effective, requires no removal of the chest muscles and causes less disfigurement and fewer side effects than the radical mastectomy.
