Mastectomy
Overview
A mastectomy is surgery to remove all breast tissue from a breast as a way to treat or prevent breast cancer.
For those with early-stage breast cancer, a mastectomy may be one treatment option. Breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy), in which only the tumor is removed from the breast, may be another option.
Deciding between a mastectomy and lumpectomy can be difficult. Both procedures are equally effective for preventing a recurrence of breast cancer. But a lumpectomy isn’t an option for everyone with breast cancer, and others prefer to undergo a mastectomy.
Newer mastectomy techniques can preserve breast skin and allow for a more natural breast appearance following the procedure. This is also known as skin-sparing mastectomy.
Surgery to restore shape to your breast — called breast reconstruction — may be done at the same time as your mastectomy or during a second operation at a later date
Why it’s done
A mastectomy is used to remove all breast tissue if you have breast cancer or are at very high risk of developing it. You may have a mastectomy to remove one breast (unilateral mastectomy) or both breasts (bilateral mastectomy).
Mastectomy for breast cancer treatment
A mastectomy may be a treatment option for many types of breast cancer, including:
- Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), or noninvasive breast cancer
- Stages I and II (early-stage) breast cancer
- Stage III (locally advanced) breast cancer — after chemotherapy
- Inflammatory breast cancer — after chemotherapy
- Paget’s disease of the breast
- Locally recurrent breast cancer
Mastectomy to prevent breast cancer
You might also consider a mastectomy if you don’t have breast cancer, but have a very high risk of developing the disease.
A preventive (prophylactic) or risk-reducing mastectomy involves removing both of your breasts and significantly reduces your risk of developing breast cancer in the future.
A prophylactic mastectomy is reserved for those with a very high risk of breast cancer, which is determined by a strong family history of breast cancer or the presence of certain genetic mutations that increase the risk of breast cancer.
General information
- Cost: 1200 – 1400
- Anesthesia: General anesthesia
- Hospital stay: 1 day
- Duration of operation: 2 hours
- Minimum Stay: 10 days