Breast Cancer Surgeries: Frequently Asked Questions
When a woman is diagnosed with Breast Cancer, they have many worries and questions. First, I would like to mention that Breast Cancer is curable. your Oncologist will first see your reports, understand their stage, and will help you arrive at a prognosis which will be shared with you.
What are the different types of Breast Cancer Surgeries?
Breast cancer Surgery involves the removal of the tumor and removal of armpit glands that is the lymph nodes that are in the armpit.
There are 2 parts to surgery, one is the conservation of surgery, in which the breast is saved, and just a part of the breast is removed. The second part of the surgery is the removal of lymph nodes.
When the tumor is small, we should go for conservation surgery but when the tumor is big, we may have to remove the entire breast. In those cases, we also do breast size, and shape contour, to retain the look and appearance of the breast.
Is Breast Conservation Surgery an ideal choice in terms of cancer recurrence?
Recurrence is not relative to the type of surgery. Even in cases of complete breast removal, there can be chances of recurrence.
Some patients believe that if the entire breast is removed, there is no need for chemotherapy and radiation. It is important to know that survival depends on complete treatment as prescribed.
Is it okay to let the surgeon decide the type of surgery?
If the surgeon feels it’s a localized tumor, the surgeon will recommend Breast Conservation Surgery.
If it’s an enlarged tumor, the surgeon will recommend a mastectomy.
Example: A woman 76 years of age was suffering from breast cancer. She had a localized tumor and the family wanted us to go ahead with breast removal, the lady took a call and asked me to go for breast conservation surgery if that is sufficient to treat breast cancer. So, if a 76-year-old woman can decide on breast conservation, it’s an example for other women.
You can also read about how lifestyle factors affect women with breast Cancer