Lumpectomy and Mastectomy

At Cleveland Clinic, you’ll have a compassionate team of experts by your side. You can turn to us for any question or concern throughout your cancer care journey. The first thing you’ll do is meet with your breast surgery team to talk about your goals and what to expect before, during and after surgery. We’ll also take a detailed medical history. What we learn in this meeting helps us recommend the best surgery for you.

Here’s what you might talk about with your breast surgery team:

• Your breast cancer diagnosis.
• How big your tumor is and where it is.
• Your genetic risk of breast cancer.
• Your expectations for recovery.
• Radiation or chemotherapy after surgery.
• Breast reconstruction options.

Second opinions for a lumpectomy or mastectomy at Cleveland Clinic

Facing a lumpectomy or mastectomy can be overwhelming. You want to feel completely comfortable and confident with the care you receive. That’s why we encourage second opinions. Our breast surgeons and medical oncologists will spend time with you, helping you wrap your head around the surgery options and what to expect. Getting a second opinion can help you feel in control of your care. And you’ll have peace of mind knowing that you’re in the most capable hands.

Meet our Lumpectomy and Mastectomy Team

If you decide to have a lumpectomy or mastectomy at Cleveland Clinic, you’ll have a whole team of dedicated, experienced and compassionate experts on your side. Your team might include:

• Breast surgeons.
• Medical oncologists.
• Radiation oncologists.
• Plastic and reconstructive surgeons.
• Genetic counselors.
• Psychologists.
• Social workers.
• Nurse navigators.

There are two surgeries to remove breast cancer: lumpectomy and mastectomy. Lumpectomy removes part of your breast. It’s sometimes called a partial mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery. Mastectomy removes your whole breast. You may be able to choose between the two. Or, depending on your diagnosis, a mastectomy may be the only option. Your breast surgeon and oncologist will talk with you about which surgery is best for you.

Lumpectomy

If you have small, early-stage breast cancer, your healthcare provider might recommend a lumpectomy. In this procedure, your surgeon removes the tumor and a small rim of normal tissue surrounding it. They may also talk to you about taking out some of your lymph nodes at the same time to make sure the cancer hasn’t spread.

To prevent lymphedema (swelling in your arms and hands), our surgeons do lymphatic reconstruction right away after taking out your lymph nodes. Radiation therapy is usually the next step after following a lumpectomy.

Mastectomy

Mastectomy is the most common surgery for breast cancer. It can treat both late-stage and early-stage cancers. If you’re at a high risk for developing breast cancer, you might choose to have a mastectomy as a precaution. There are several types of mastectomies, including:

• Total mastectomy: We remove your breast and the lining of your chest muscle.
• Modified radical mastectomy: We remove your breast, chest muscles and the lymph nodes under your arm.
• Double (bilateral) mastectomy: We remove both breasts.
• Prophylactic (preventive) mastectomy: If you’re at a high risk of breast cancer, (for example, have the BRCA gene mutation), you may decide to have a prophylactic (preventive) mastectomy. We remove both your breasts, reducing your risk of breast cancer by up to 90%.
• Skin-sparing mastectomy: We remove all the breast tissue, nipple and areola (dark circle around your nipple) but leave the breast skin.
• Nipple-sparing mastectomy: We remove all the breast tissue but leave the nipple and areola. Cleveland Clinic surgeons were the first to do nipple-sparing mastectomies in the early 2000s. Today it’s a standard surgery technique to keep your breast’s natural look.

Losing feeling (sensation) in your breast is common after a mastectomy. Our surgeons are among the few in the country to routinely bring sensation (feeling) back to your breast.

After a mastectomy, you’ll stay overnight in the hospital for a few days. It may be longer if you have breast reconstruction at the same time. If you have a lumpectomy, you can usually go home the same day, unless we remove some of your lymph nodes.

When it’s time to go home, your providers will give you detailed instructions on how to care for yourself after surgery. You may be sore and have trouble moving your arms for a bit afterward. But your provider will give you medicine and exercises to help with that. You might also feel really tired for a week or two, so getting a little help at home might be a good idea.

A few weeks after surgery, you’ll meet with your breast surgeon again for a follow-up visit to see how you’re healing. Your medical oncologist will also reach out with the next steps in your treatment plan.

Breast reconstruction

Deciding to have breast reconstruction is a very personal decision. There are several options, so talking with your provider about what’s available and best for you is really important. If you decide to have reconstruction, you can usually do it right after your lumpectomy or mastectomy. Or you can wait and have this surgery later (delayed reconstruction).

Taking the Next Step

Learning that you might need a lumpectomy or mastectomy can come with a lot of questions about what’s next. At Cleveland Clinic, we want to help you take that next step. Our medical oncologists, breast cancer surgeons and specialists are ready to give you the best, most compassionate care you’ll find anywhere. We are by your side, answering questions and supporting you. Breast cancer surgery isn’t easy, but it’s easier with the right team by your side.