1. Treatment Planning
Before doctors decide on the best course of treatment for a breast-cancer patient, they must know the stage, or extent, of the disease. In addition to imaging and laboratory tests, doctors may use surgery to determine the stage of the cancer. Doctors frequently remove lymph nodes in the area to check for cancer cells, which sometimes spread to these bean-shaped organs that are part of the immune system. In a newer procedure called sentinel lymph node biopsy, the doctor removes only a few lymph nodes close to the tumor, with the assumption that their cancer status is indicative of the cancer status of the other lymph nodes.
2. Saving the Breast
Surgery that permits a breast cancer patient to keep the diseased breast goes by several terms. Surgeons may use the terms lumpectomy, breast-sparing surgery, breast-conserving surgery, partial mastectomy or segmental mastectomy. Each of these treatment modalities refers to a surgery that removes the cancer, but spares as much of a woman's healthy breast tissue as possible.
3. A Difficult Choice
When a woman has received treatment for breast cancer, the thought of developing breast cancer in the healthy breast is troubling. Some women opt for a preventative mastectomy--also known as a prophylactic mastectomy--to reduce the possibility of getting breast cancer in the remaining breast. Although having a total mastectomy can reduce the chance of developing cancer in the healthy breast by up to 90 percent, it's impossible to remove all traces of breast tissue. Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of a prophylactic mastectomy.
4. Staying Healthy After Breast Cancer Surgery
When a woman has lymph nodes removed from the armpit and chest area for breast-cancer staging or treatment, she is at risk for a condition called lymphedema. This condition can cause swelling or pain in the arm and hand. Having radiation after surgery can increase the risk of lymphedema, which can become a chronic condition. Women must take care of the arm and its skin after surgery to prevent complications from lymphedema. Avoid cuts or needle sticks on the affected arm, and wear non-binding clothes and undergarments.
5. Feeling Like Yourself Again
Some mastectomy patients choose to have breast reconstruction surgery to feel better about their appearance. Women can choose from breast implant surgery, or the surgeon can create a new breast from muscle or fat taken from the patient's back or tummy. Although the tissue-flap surgery is more invasive than an implant, a new breast created from a tissue flap never wears out. Ask the plastic surgeon which choice is best for you, given your body, breast size and overall state of health.
