Surgery to remove a breast. The types are a. simple: removal of the breast; b. modified radical: removal of the breast and some axillary lymph nodes, and c. radical: removal of the breast axillary lymph nodes and pectoral muscles.
Surgical removal of one or both breasts to remove a malignant tumor. A mastectomy is some¬ times followed by reconstructive surgery which may include use of the patient’s own tissue to form a breast or the insertion of an implant containing silicon gel, a saline solution, or both under a flap of skin and muscle at the site where the breast was removed.
Surgical removal of all or part of the breast, usually as a treatment for breast cancer. The principal goal of surgery for breast cancer is to remove the primary tumor from the breast. Depending on the size and location of the primary tumor, any of four basic types of surgery will be selected: lumpectomy, partial mastectomy, subcutaneous mastectomy, and modified radical mastectomy. The selection of the procedure depends on the person’s condition and preference.
Surgical removal of a breast. If the operation is to combat cancer a radical mastectomy is performed: as well as the breast itself, the lymph nodes in the nearest armpit and the muscles linking the upper part of the chest with the shoulder are also removed, in case the cancer has spread to them.
A surgical operation to remove part or all of the breast. It is usually done to treat cancer, when it is commonly followed (and sometimes preceded) by chemotherapy or radiotherapy. There are four types of mastectomy: lumpectomy, quandrantectomy, subcutaneous mastectomy and total mastectomy. The choice of operation depends upon several factors, including the site and nature of the tumour and the patient’s age and health. More than half of early stage cancers can be treated with breast conserving surgery rather than total mastectomy. Surgeons and oncologists consult the patient when making the decision about the best course of action. Lumpectomy is done where there is a discrete lump less than 2 cm in diameter with no evidence of glandular spread. A small lump (2—5 cm) with limited spread to the glands may be removed by quadrantectomy or subcutaneous mastectomy (which preserves the nipple and much of the skin, so producing a better cosmetic effect). Lumps bigger than 5 cm and fixed to the underlying tissues require total mastectomy in which the breast tissue, skin and some fat are dissected down to the chest muscles and removed. In addition, the tail of the breast tissue and regional lymph glands are removed. In all types of mastectomy, surgeons endeavour to produce as good a cosmetic result as possible, subject to the adequate removal of suspect tissue and glands.
Surgical removal of the breast. The procedure usually is performed as treatment for or prophylaxis against breast cancer; it can be curative in more than 90% of cases in which the disease is histologically noninvasive and grossly confined to the breast. In patients with more extensive disease, it is one part of a treatment strategy for breast cancer that also may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or hormone therapy. Radical mastectomy (no longer performed) involved the removal of the breast tissue as well as the pectoralis major muscle, pectoral fascia, axillary contents, nipple, and areola. In modified radical mastectomy, the pectoral fascia is removed but the pectoralis major muscle is left intact. The rest of the operation mimics radical mastectomy. In simple mastectomy, only breast tissue, pectoral fascia, nipple, areola, and axillary fat pad are removed. In tissue-saving mastectomy (modified-radical or simple) tissue is removed through a nipple and alveolar area circular incision, to limit muscle and nerve incisions and prepare the patient for immediate or delayed saline or silicone implant(s) or flap reconstruction. In the management of breast cancer, because none of these techniques has been proven superior to lumpectomy followed by radiation treatment, patient and practitioner preferences often determine which therapy is used. Mastectomy still is preferred in some breast cancer patients (e.g., pregnant women) who should not receive radiation therapy.
A term used generally to describe the surgical removal of the breast, but it also encompasses lumpectomy, which is the removal of only the tumor and a small amount of surrounding breast tissue. The main types of mastectomy are radical, modified radical, simple, lumpectomy, and subcutaneous.
The surgical procedure involving the partial or complete removal of the breast, potentially including associated lymph nodes and muscle tissue.
The comprehensive extraction of the entire breast through surgery, typically undertaken as a therapeutic measure for breast cancer. Mastectomy is considered when lumpectomy (the removal of the tumor and a small portion of adjacent tissue) or quadrantectomy (partial breast removal) isn’t feasible due to the tumor’s size or location. In rarer instances, individuals with an elevated risk of developing breast cancer due to an abnormal gene may be advised to undergo a subcutaneous mastectomy procedure.
In the past, a surgical approach known as radical mastectomy was employed, which encompassed the removal of both the breast and a substantial portion of muscle extending to the chest wall. However, modern practices predominantly involve a total mastectomy. This procedure entails the elimination of all breast tissue and typically some or all of the lymph nodes within the armpit. These nodes’ cells are examined to ascertain if cancerous cells have disseminated. This surgery is conducted under general anesthesia and usually necessitates a hospital stay lasting several days. If desired, plastic surgery for breast reconstruction can occur concurrently with the mastectomy or at a later time.
Following the procedure, the scar might exhibit tenderness. In cases where lymph nodes have been extracted, there’s a potential for the arm to develop lymphedema.
The surgical elimination of a breast. It is also referred to as mammectomy.