Breast cancer originates when healthy breast cells develop genetic mutations, causing the cell to proliferate out of control. In the early stages of cancer, the cancer cells form a tumor that invades healthy breast tissue to allow for more tumor growth. As the cancer progresses, cancer cells infiltrate the lymph nodes surrounding the breast, and eventually circulate throughout the body in a process called metastasis. Breast cancer treatment often involves surgical removal of the tumor. A number of surgical techniques can be used to treat breast cancer, depending on the characteristics and severity of the tumor.
Lumpectomy
Some patients with breast cancer may undergo a breast-conserving surgery called a lumpectomy. This procedure is often employed in patients whose cancer is not advanced, where the cancer has not spread into the neighboring tissue. A lumpectomy involves removal of the cancerous tissue while leaving the surrounding healthy breast tissue intact. In some cases, a few lymph nodes surrounding the breast may also be removed to test for the presence of cancer cells, which indicates a more advanced tumor that may require additional surgery. Patients may receive cancer therapy, such as radiation therapy, following a lumpectomy to decrease the possibility of recurrence.
Segmental Mastectomy
A segmental mastectomy is another surgical option available to breast cancer patients. Segmental mastectomies can be performed in patients with earlier-stage breast cancers that have not metastasized. Like a lumpectomy, a segmental mastectomy is a type of breast-conserving surgery. The difference is that a segmental mastectomy involves the removal of a greater amount of neighboring healthy breast tissue, reports Cedars-Sinai. The surgery may also remove some of the tissue overlying the chest muscles to help prevent cancer recurrence. Women who receive a segmental mastectomy also often receive radiation therapy to destroy any possible remaining cancer cells.
Modified Radical Mastectomy
A modified radical mastectomy is used to treat more advanced and invasive breast cancers. During a modified radical mastectomy, all of the breast tissue is removed, as well as the overlying skin, nipple and areola. The surgeon also removes the lymph nodes around the breast under the arm to remove potentially metastatic cancer cells. In some cases, small muscles in the chest may be removed during lymph node removal. Modified radical mastectomy often leaves most of the underlying chest muscles intact, so women who have undergone modified radical mastectomy may opt to have breast reconstruction surgery immediately following surgery or long after treatment.
