Lumpectomy: What It Is, Who Should Have It, Recovery

Lumpectomy surgery is a common breast cancer treatment. Unlike a mastectomy (which removes the entire breast), lumpectomy removes cancer ... ThinkyoumayhaveCOVID-19? Findoutwhereyoucangettested Needavaccineorbooster? Nowschedulingforages6monthsandup ComingtoaClevelandCliniclocation? Visitationandmaskrequirements Home / HealthLibrary / Treatments&Procedures Lumpectomy Lumpectomysurgeryisacommonbreastcancertreatment.Unlikeamastectomy(whichremovestheentirebreast),lumpectomyremovescancercellswithasmallmarginofhealthybreasttissue.Itmayhelpyoukeepmoreofyourbreast’snaturallookandshapeaftercancer.Afterlumpectomy,youmayneedradiationorothercancertreatments. Appointments&Access ContactUs Overview ProcedureDetails Risks/Benefits RecoveryandOutlook WhentoCalltheDoctor Lumpectomy Overview ProcedureDetails Risks/Benefits RecoveryandOutlook WhentoCalltheDoctor BackToTop Overview Whatisalumpectomy? Alumpectomy(alsocalledapartialmastectomy)isabreastcancersurgerythatremovesatumorplusanormalmarginofsurroundinghealthybreasttissue.Healthcareprovidersconsiderlumpectomytobebreast-conservingsurgerybecauseitleavesyournaturalbreastintact,comparedtoamastectomy,whichisremovaloftheentirebreast.Usually,followinglumpectomysurgery,radiationtothebreasttissueisrecommendtohelppreventcancerregrowthinthebreast. Whoneedsalumpectomy? Youmaybeacandidateforalumpectomyif: Canceronlyaffectsoneareaofyourbreast. Atumorisrelativelysmallcomparedtoyourbreastsize Yourproviderisconfidentyouwillhaveenoughremainingtissuetoreshapeyourbreastafterremovingthetumor. Youareabletocompleteradiationtherapy. Whenislumpectomynotanoption? Yourhealthcareprovidermaynotrecommendalumpectomyforseveralreasons.Ifyouhavemultipletumorsinonebreastorhavealargecancer,youmaynotbeacandidateforthisprocedure. Formostpeople,radiationtherapyfollowsalumpectomy.Ifyourproviderrecommendsyounotreceiveradiationtherapyoryoudonotwantradiation,alumpectomymaynotberightforyou.Providersmaywantyoutoavoidradiationifyoureceivedradiationtherapyforpreviousbreastcancerinthesamebreastorarecurrentlypregnant. Yourprovidermayalsoadviseagainstalumpectomyandradiationifyouhave: Ageneticmutation(change)thatincreasesyouroddsofhavingbreastcanceragain. Inflammatorybreastcancer. Lupusoranothermedicalconditionthatraisesyourriskofradiationtherapysideeffects. WhyshouldIgetradiationaftersurgery? Mostpeoplehaveradiationtreatmentsafterlumpectomysurgerytodestroyanyremainingmicroscopiccancercells.Thiscombinationisastandardtreatmentoptionforwomenwithbreastcancer..Iteffectivelytreatscancerwhilepreservingmoreofhowyourbreastlooksandfeels. Researchhasshownlumpectomyplusradiationofferslong-termsurvivalratesthataresimilartothosewhohaveamastectomy(removaloftheentirebreast). ProcedureDetails WhatshouldIexpectbeforealumpectomy? Thedetailsofyourcase(suchasatumor’ssizeorlocation)canaffecthowyourbreastlooksaftersurgery.Yoursurgeonwillreviewyourimagingwiththeradiologistanddesignasurgicalprocedurewhichwillfocusonremovingtheentirecancerarea. Insomecases,duetothelargersizeofthetumor,thebreastsurgeonmayenlisttheassistanceofaplastic/reconstructivesurgeontoperformcombinedteamapproachsurgerycalledanoncoplasticlumpectomy.Inanoncoplasticoperation,thecancerisabitbiggerthansuitableforatraditionallumpectomy(removingmorethan20%ofthebreastvolume),sotheplannedsurgerytakesintoaccountthelargerpieceofbreasttissueneedingtoberemovedandallowsforbetterscarplacement,reshapingandnippleposition.Oftenoncoplasticsurgeryrequiresasurgeryontheother,normalbreasttoreducethevolumeaswelltomatchthecancerbreastsize. It’simportanttotalkwithyourhealthcareproviderbeforesurgeryabouthowyourbreastmaychange.Yourprovidercantellyouwhatbreastsurgeryoptionsareavailable. Yourproviderwillgooverproceduredetailsbeforesurgerytohelpyoufeelcomfortableaboutyourcare.Askyourprovidertoexplainanythingyoudon’tunderstandorareunsureabout. It’simportantforyourhealthandsafetythatyoufollowallofyourprovider’sinstructions,suchaswhentostoptakingcertainmedicationsbeforesurgery. Canalumpectomybedonewithlocalanesthesia? Mostpeoplehavethelumpectomysurgeryperformedusinggeneralanesthesia(beingputtosleep).Occasionally,moderatesedationandlocalanesthesia(numbingthebreastarea)canbeperformed. Howisalumpectomydone? Lumpectomysurgeryisusuallyanoutpatientsurgery(patientsgohomethesameday).Theprocedureitselfusuallytakesaboutonehourtocomplete.Breastcancerisnotacancerthesurgeoncansee(breastcanceristhesamecolorasthebreasttissue)sousuallythecancerneedstobemarkedbeforesurgerytohelpguidethesurgeon.Themethodtolocalizethecancerinthebreastcanbeperformedwithasmallchipplacementorwireinsertionintothebreastcancerbytheradiologistjustpriortosurgery.. Duringalumpectomy,yoursurgeoncarefullyremovesthetumorplusamarginofhealthybreasttissue.Surgeonstakeathinborderofhealthybreasttissuearoundthetumortoleavenocancercellsbehind.Butproviderstakecaretoremoveonlythetissueneededtotreatcancer,topreserveasmuchofyournaturalbreastaspossible.Unfortunately,thesurgeoncannotseethecancerandthepathologistcannotaccuratelyevaluatethecanceratthetimeofsurgery,sothepathologyresultsofthesurgery(finalsizeofthecancerandwhetherornotthereareclearmargins)dotakeapproximatelysevento10daystodetermine. Thesurgeonwilllikelytheninjectmedicationintothesurgicalareatohelpdecreasetheamountofpainyouwillexperienceaftersurgery.Thesurgeonwillalsoplacesmallmarkingclipsintothelumpectomysite,tohelpaidtheradiationoncologistknowwheretofocustheradiation.Thebreasttissueisthensewnbacktogetherwithdissolvable,internalstitches. Doesalumpectomytellmydoctorifcancerhasspread? Duringtheprocedure,yoursurgeonmayalsocheckorremovelymphnodestoseeifcancerhasspreadbeyondthebreast. Youmayhaveaninjectionofbluedyeorasmallamountofradioactivematerialaroundthenipplearea.Thishelpsyoursurgeonknowwhichlymphnodestoremove(sentinellymphnodebiopsy).Duringsurgerythesurgeonwillmakeaseparate,smallincisioninthearmpitareatoremoveafewlymphnodesforthepathologisttocheck. Thetissuethengoestoalaboratory.Specializedtestsidentifywhetherornotcancerhasspreadintothelymphnodes..Thesedetailshelpyourproviderknowwhichtreatmentsaremostlikelytobeeffectiveforyou.Youmaygettestresultsseveraldaysafteryoursurgery. WhatshouldIexpectafterlumpectomysurgery? Aftersurgery,yourcareteamwillmonitoryourhealthinarecoveryroomuntiltheyclearyoutogohome.Yourhealthcareprovidermaygiveyouaprescriptionforpainmedicationbeforeyouleave.Thismedicinecanrelieveanydiscomfortyoumayfeelsoonaftersurgery.However,mostpatientscanmanagetheirpainwithacetaminophen(suchasTylenol®)oribuprofenandice. Yourproviderwilltellyouhowtobestrecoverathome,explaining: Howtocarefortheincisionsite,includinghowoftenyoushouldchangedressings. Howmuchandhowoftentotakepainmedication. Howtodo(andwhentostart)shoulderexercises,whichcanlessenanystiffnessyoufeel. Whentocallyourprovider,includingthemostconcerningsymptomsyoushouldwatchoutfor. Whenit’ssafetowearabra,takeashowerorgetbacktonormalactivities. Risks/Benefits Whatarethepotentialrisksorcomplicationsoflumpectomy? Everysurgeryhassomerisk.Butlumpectomyisacommonprocedurethatoffersahighlevelofsafetyandeffectiveness.It’slessinvasivethanmastectomy,abreastcancersurgerythatremovestheentirebreast. Potentialcomplicationsoflumpectomysurgeryincludeinfection,bruisingandswelling(calledlymphedema)inyourarmorhandclosesttotheaffectedbreast. RecoveryandOutlook Howlongdoesalumpectomytaketoheal? Everyonehealsattheirownpace.Youmayfindyourselfextratiredrightaftersurgery.Restingforafewdayscangiveyourbodythetimeitneedstorecuperate.Manypeoplefeelfullyrecoveredtwoweeksafterlumpectomysurgery. WhentoCalltheDoctor WhenshouldIcallthedoctor? Aninfectionneartheincisionsitecanbeaserioushealthrisk.Youshouldcallyourhealthcareproviderrightawayifyouhaveanyofthesesymptomsinorneartheaffectedbreast: Swelling. Fluidthatbuildsupinoraroundthebreast. Redness. Painthatgetsworseaftersurgery. AnotefromClevelandClinic Lumpectomysurgerycanremovebreastcancerwhilepreservingnaturalbreasttissue,whichmayhelpyoufeelmorelikeyourselfaftercancertreatment.Ifretainingsomeofyourbreast’slookandshapeisimportanttoyou,askyourhealthcareproviderifalumpectomycouldbenefityou.Certainfactors(suchasalargetumorornotbeingabletogetradiationtherapyaftersurgery)mayleadyourprovidertorecommendadifferenttreatmentpath.Yourbreastcancertreatmentshouldbehighlypersonalizedtoyourneeds. Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Print Getuseful,helpfulandrelevanthealth+wellnessinformation enews ClevelandClinicisanon-profitacademicmedicalcenter.Advertisingonoursitehelpssupportourmission.Wedonotendorsenon-ClevelandClinicproductsorservices. Policy RelatedInstitutes&Services ClevelandClinicCancerCenter ClevelandClinicCancerCenterprovidesworld-classcaretopatientswithcancerandisattheforefrontofnewandemergingclinical,translationalandbasiccancerresearch. Ob/Gyn&Women'sHealthInstitute ClevelandClinic’sOb/Gyn&Women’sHealthInstituteiscommittedtoprovidingworld-classcareforwomenofallages.Weofferwomen'shealthservices,obstetricsandgynecologythroughoutNortheastOhioandbeyond.WhetherpatientsarereferredtousoralreadyhaveaClevelandClinicob/gyn,weworkcloselywiththemtooffertreatmentrecommendationsandfollow-upcaretohelpyoureceivethebestoutcome. 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