Lumpectomy

LUMPECTOMY

Lumpectomy, also called a partial mastectomy, segmental mastectomy or quardantectomy, is the surgical removal of a breast tumor along with some of the normal breast tissue that surrounds it. Multicenter clinical trials have demonstrated that in certain early stages of breast cancer, lumpectomy, when combined with postoperative radiation therapy, can produce long-term survival rates on par with mastectomy without radiation.

Depending on the breast size and shape, the amount of tissue removed to treat the cancer, and the changes that can occur in breast shape after radiation, breast-sparing procedures can leave the breast’s contours such that there may be no need for further reconstruction. In other situations, however, the aesthetic results of breast-conserving surgery may be disappointing.

• Standard breast-conserving therapy, unfortunately, has its limits and has been shown to yield poor cosmetic results up to 30 percent of the time
• Some women may find that the shape of their breast treated with breast conserving surgery becomes distorted after radiation therapy is completed

In spite of the potential aesthetic shortcomings, for many women, the ability to save a part of their breast makes the option of breast conserving therapy very appealing. When a breast conserving procedure such as lumpectomy will or might distort the shape of a woman’s breast, a plastic surgeon can work together with a breast oncologic surgeon at the time of surgery, to help best preserve or restore the shape of your breast. Oncoplastic surgery combines innovative plastic surgery techniques with breast surgical oncology to maximize both the oncologic outcomes and cosmetic results of breast conserving surgery.

In the event that the results of breast-conserving surgery are disappointing, delayed breast reconstruction may be able to improve the appearance of the breast and restore a more natural shape.