Breast cancer is the result of cells within the ducts or the lobes of the breast cancer growing unusually quickly. Although the cancer is initially confined to the breast, it can spread to other tissues throughout the body where it can cause life threatening medical problems. One of the most common treatments for breast cancer is surgery, but this treatment can have many effects on the patient's life.
Surgery Types
The way that a patient is cared for after breast cancer surgery depends in part on the type of surgery performed. There are two different surgical options for many women with breast cancer: a lumpectomy, also known as breast-sparing surgery, and a mastectomy. With a lumpectomy, only a portion of the breast is removed, whereas with a mastectomy the entire breast is removed. Although a successful lumpectomy may be impossible for some cases of breast cancer, in women who have early-stage breast cancer the survival rates are similar, the National Women's Health Information Center reports.
Side Effects
It can take some time for women to recover from breast cancer surgery. After the surgery, pain and tenderness are commonly felt; the pain can be controlled using analgesic medications. Women who have one or both of their breasts removed may feel off-balance, the National Cancer Institute states. Tightness of the skin around the breast is also common as well as pain and weakness in the shoulder on the affected side.
Additional Treatments
Although surgery is one of the most common treatments for breast cancer, it rarely is used alone. Because there is the risk that some cancer cells may have been left behind, women will often need to undergo a round of radiation treatment, particularly if they had a lumpectomy. Although this can be unpleasant, it is an important part of postsurgical care, as delaying the radiation can increase the risk of a breast cancer recurrence, the Dana Farber Cancer Institute notes.
Followup
When breast cancer surgery is performed, a trained pathologist will examine the tissue removed from the breast. This allows for the examination of the edges of the removed tissue, also known as the margin of resection. Ideally, the pathologist will find no cancer cells in the margin of resection, which means that there is a good chance that most of the cancerous cells were removed, BreastCancer.org explains. Regardless of the pathologist's findings, women will still need to be checked frequently for signs of recurrence. This may involve MRI or other imaging scans as well as blood tests, which can detect some forms of breast cancer.
Reconstruction
Some women want to have the breast mound rebuilt after breast cancer surgery. This process, known as breast reconstruction, can be done by plastic surgeons. Women who wish to have breast reconstruction should meet with a plastic surgeon before the cancer surgery is performed to discuss the options and risks of this treatment.
