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Breast Cancer Surgery
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| For more than 100 years, surgery has been the first line of attack against breast cancer. Today's technology allows surgeons to perform precise, targeted surgery that preserves as much of the healthy breast and surrounding areas as possible. The following surgical procedures are offered at Eastchester Center for Cancer Care: |
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Breast-conserving surgery - With this surgery, commonly known as lumpectomy, only the tumor is removed from the breast. This is usually followed by radiation therapy to eradicate any cancer cells that might appear in the remaining breast tissue.
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Axillary lymph node dissection - For women with invasive breast cancer, this procedure accompanies a mastectomy to determine if the cancer has spread beyond the breast. It may be done at the same time as, or after, a lumpectomy, through a separate incision.
Lymph nodes are small organs located in the channels of the lymphatic system which contain special cells that trap bacteria or cancer cells traveling throughout the body. Clusters of lymph nodes are found in the underarms, groin, neck, chest and abdomen.
The surgeon will generally remove between five and thirty lymph nodes from the armpit area. The total number of lymph nodes "involved" (showing evidence of cancer) is more important than the extent of cancer in any one node. Your doctor will discuss with you whether any lymph nodes were involved (and if so, how many).
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Sentinel lymph node dissection -- Sentinel lymph node dissection is an alternative to the standard axillary lymph node dissection and it spares many women more invasive surgery and side effects.
Instead of removing ten or more lymph nodes and analyzing all of them to look for cancer, doctors who perform sentinel lymph node dissection remove only the one node that is most likely to have it. If this node is clean, chances are the other nodes have not been affected. In actuality, the surgeon usually removes a cluster of two or three nodes-the sentinel node and those closest to it. Our surgeons can determine if you are a candidate for sentinel lymph node dissection.
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| Mastectomy - It used to be that mastectomy, an operation in which the entire breast is removed, was the only treatment available to women with breast cancer, period. Today, mastectomy offers several options, depending on the situation: |
 Total mastectomy - breast removal in order to prevent a recurrence of cancer. Axillary lymph nodes are usually kept intact. |
| Modified radical mastectomy -- removes entire breast and includes axillary lymph node dissection. |
| Radical mastectomy -- includes removal of entire breast, all underarm lymph nodes and chest wall muscles underneath the breast. This procedure is recommended only when cancer has spread to the chest muscles underneath the breast. |
| If you are a candidate for mastectomy, our surgeons can help determine which option is right for you. |
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Reconstructive Breast Cancer Surgery - Seventy-five percent of women who have mastectomies go on to have surgical reconstruction of one or both breasts. Roughly half of these women decide on artificial implants. Most of the rest choose a type of surgery that utilizes one's own body tissue to rebuild the breast.
The majority of women who are given the choice ask for immediate breast reconstruction. Some women who have lumpectomies also choose breast reconstruction to restore a more balanced look.
Our surgeons at Eastchester are available to answer any questions you might have about breast reconstruction and what type of surgery is best for you.
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