Breast Cancer Surgery
Breast cancer surgery is done to someone who is ill with cancer, by removing cancerous body tissue from the breast and nodes in the area. But before that, a small piece of tissue is removed to find out if the diagnosis of breast cancer is correct, which is a medical procedure called a biopsy. If the tissue is cancerous, and surgery is possible, the surgery will attempt to remove the entire cancerous tumor. If the cancer has spread beyond the original site, surgery is used to remove as much as possible for the removal of the primary tumor.
When discussing having a lumpectomy done for breast cancer, it is a good idea to look at the lumpectomy photos of breast cancer surgery to really get a good idea what is going to happen for breast cancer surgery options. The actual lumpectomy is when part of the breast is removed, or considered a partial mastectomy. But there are many breast cancer surgery options, besides that one. So when discussing the options with the doctor, make sure that it is understood in great details about the type of surgery and exactly what will be removed. Breast cancer surgery photos are available online or at the doctor's office. The breast cancer and surgery involve many technicalities partial mastectomy, biopsies, lumpectomies, re-excision, wedge resection, or a partial mastectomy. And how much breast is removed refers to the type of surgery, such as the quadrantectomy when a fourth of the breast is removed.
After breast cancer surgery, reconstructive surgery for breast cancer is done to restore what the breast looks like. The size and shape of the breast is done, along with the nipple and areola. The breast cancer and surgery are all part of the mastectomy/reconstructive procedure that is done by a plastic surgeon, while the women with breast cancer and who have had a lumpectomy almost always do not need this constructive procedure. In today's times, women are deciding to have surgery that removes as little tissue as possible as compared to the mastectomy, when as much of the breast is removed as possible. The newer form of breast surgery is known as the conservation surgery--the lumpectomy or segmental mastectomy.
After breast cancer surgery, the plastic surgeon doing the reconstruction should be board-certified with experience in breast construction. Talk to your doctor, or contact the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). Do not be afraid to ask questions, and record or take notes of the meeting with him or her. Bring a family member along or a friend to help remember everything.