Surgery for Breast Cancer

After a diagnosis of breast cancer, surgery is typically the first step. The type of surgery depends on factors such as tumor size, type, patient preferences, and overall health.

Lumpectomy involves removing the cancerous tissue and some surrounding normal tissue. It's often used in combination with other treatments like radiation therapy, hormone therapy, or chemotherapy.

Axillary lymph nodes in the armpit are examined during a lumpectomy to check for cancer spread. This is done either by removing the lymph nodes or through a sentinel node biopsy.

If a sentinel node biopsy shows positive results, all axillary lymph nodes are typically removed.

Simple mastectomy removes only the breast, not other tissues. It's used for noninvasive or DCIS breast cancer and is often part of the treatment along with chemotherapy or hormone therapy.

Modified radical mastectomy involves removing the breast and axillary lymph nodes, but chest wall muscles are left intact. This surgery is adequate for controlling the disease if it hasn't spread.

Radical mastectomy, once common, is now rarely performed due to modern, less disfiguring treatments.

Follow-up Care

Individuals diagnosed with breast cancer require ongoing follow-up care for life. Initial post-treatment follow-up is usually every three to six months for the first few years.

Follow-up includes breast examinations, mammography, blood tests, and, in some cases, chest x-rays or other studies. Additional tests like bone scans or CT scans are performed as needed.

Prevention

Age, genetics, and gender are the primary risk factors for breast cancer. Regular screening is crucial for early detection, especially since these risks can't be controlled.

Screening involves breast self-examination, clinical breast examination, and mammography. Self-examination is affordable and easy but should be complemented with clinical examination and mammography, especially for women having routine screenings.

For menstruating women, self-examination is best performed after the monthly period. Those without regular periods can pick a specific date each month.

Instruction on self-examination techniques can be obtained from healthcare providers or various organizations focused on breast cancer.

Clinical breast examination, recommended by the American Cancer Society, is performed every three years starting at age 20, and yearly after age 40.

Mammograms are advised every one to two years, starting at age 40. Women at high risk may start earlier, typically ten years before a close relative's age at diagnosis.

Reducing alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy body weight post-menopause, and staying physically active may slightly lower breast cancer risk. Women on hormone replacement therapy should use it cautiously.

Tamoxifen can reduce breast cancer risk in high-risk women, but potential side effects should be discussed with healthcare professionals. Raloxifene, another estrogen-blocking drug, may also lower risk and is used to treat osteoporosis.

In some cases, women at very high risk may choose preventive mastectomy or removal of the ovaries to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.