How To Know If You’re A Candidate For Breast Lump Removal

A woman may right away assume that she has breast cancer when she discovers a lump in her breast. So she urgently hurries to visit her doctor so as to find out if the lump in her breast is in fact cancer. However, irrespective of whether the lump is cancerous or not, the doctor may still order for breast lump removal.

Breast lump removal or likewise known as lumpectomy, is a surgical treatment where a lump, malignant or not, is taken out of the breast. To prevent the recurrence of cancer, some tissues close to the lump may be removed and made sure that no cancer is left in the breast. This is contrary to radical mastectomy where the entire breast, except the nipple and areola, is removed. Hence, breast lump removal is likewise known as breast conservation surgery, breast sparing surgery, wide local excision, and partial mastectomy.

The major goal of breast lump removal is to rid the breast of any benign or malignant tissue while also keeping the breast’s appearance. A doctor would usually recommend breast lump removal in stage I or stage II breast cancer patients. However, the doctor will have to consider the following first before performing breast lump surgery: number, location, and size of the tumor.

*Number – If multiple, diffuse lumps are present, lumpectomy may result in disfiguration of the breast. In this case, radical mastectomy is the treatment of choice. If the lumps, however, are located in just one area of the breast, it may still be possible to undergo breast lump removal.

*Location – If the breast lump is found to extend to nearby structures such as the chest wall, the skin, and axillary lymph nodes, breast lump removal is unlikely. However, lymph node involvement does not necessarily mean that breast lump removal is impossible. The doctor might decide to proceed with lumpectomy if the lymph node is not attached to other lymph nodes and other surrounding tissues.

*Size – Breast lump removal is usually indicated if the breast lump is smaller than five centimeters. A more extensive operation may be required for lumps larger than five centimeters.

Breast lump removal is usually done in an outpatient setting. The woman will be administered with local or general anesthesia depending on the circumstances. Consult with your doctor if breast lump removal is possible so you can get rid of those lumps while preserving the appearance of your breasts.