Mastectomy
Your doctor may recommend a mastectomy:
- the cancer is large
- there is cancer in multiple areas of the breast
- you cannot or do not wish to have radiation therapy after a lumpectomy, or
- you feel that a mastectomy is the best option for you
During a mastectomy, a surgeon removes almost all of the tissue of the breast including the nipple. The muscle behind the breast tissue is not removed.
Your surgeon will try to minimize scarring as much as possible during surgery. However, once you heal from the mastectomy, you will be left with a scar across your chest and the area will be flat. In rare cases, your ribs may look like small bumps underneath your skin. Occasionally, radiation therapy may be recommended after a mastectomy when certain features are found on the pathology report.
Following a mastectomy, you may wish to wear an artificial breast form (prosthesis) in a bra or attached to your skin. Another option is to have the breast reconstructed or rebuilt using artificial breast implants or your own body tissue. Reconstructive surgery may be done at the time of the mastectomy or you can wait and have it done at a later time.
Prophylactic Mastectomy
A prophylactic (or preventive) mastectomy is removal of a breast even though no DCIS or cancer has been found. Prophylactic mastectomies are most commonly done for women who are at very high risk for developing breast cancer and want to reduce that risk. Although a prophylactic mastectomy removes almost all of the breast tissue, there is still a small chance that breast cancer may develop in the remaining breast tissue. During a prophylactic mastectomy, a surgeon removes almost all of the breast tissue, including the nipple. The muscle behind the breast tissue is not removed.
You may want to consider a prophylactic mastectomy if you:
- have breast cancer in one breast and a high risk of developing breast cancer in the unaffected breast over the course of your lifetime
- have breast cancer in one breast and a great deal of anxiety over developing breast cancer in your unaffected breast
- carry a BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 genetic mutation, regardless of whether you have had breast cancer, or
- have a substantial family history of breast cancer occurring at an early age
Back to "Surgical Options"
The information in this section will help you plan and prepare for your treatment. However, it is not meant to replace the individual attention, advice, and treatment plan of your oncologist and medical team.
Updated 4/12/06