Breast Surgery

What increases your risk for breast cancer?

Most cancers are diagnosed after the age of 55, so age increases your overall chance for breast cancer. You may also be at a higher risk for breast cancer if you meet any of the following criteria:

• Personal or family history of breast cancer
• BRCA and PALB2 gene mutations
• Benign breast disease
• Early menstruation or late menopause
• First pregnancy after age 30
• Overweight
• Radiation exposure for cancer treatment

Do men get breast cancer?

Yes, men do get breast cancer but it’s rare, representing less than 1% of all cases of breast cancer. While men may develop breast cancer at any age, it’s usually found in those between the ages of 60-70 years.

What are the symptoms of breast cancer?

The first symptom in both men and women is often a lump or thickening that can be felt in the breast tissue. In some cases, signs of breast cancer include redness or pitting of the skin and a nipple that becomes scaly, red, or swollen. Breast tissue may look red, swollen, and feel warm, if you have inflammatory breast cancer.

If you see a change in the size or shape of your breast, or your nipple turns inward, contact your doctor for an examination. Sometimes breast cancer has no symptoms at all and is discovered via a mammogram.

What types of breast surgery are performed to eliminate cancer?

The surgeons at General Surgical Care assess abnormal breast imaging studies and surgically treat breast cancer in women and men. They work together with your oncology team to coordinate all your care, since many patients get radiation therapy and chemotherapy in addition to surgery to remove the cancer.

The types of breast surgery performed include:

Sentinel lymph node biopsy

The sentinel lymph node is the first lymph node that receives drainage from a tumor, so it’s the first place where cancer is likely to spread.

Breast-conserving surgery

During this type of surgery, also called breast lumpectomy, the tumor and some of the surrounding tissues are removed. Your surgeon at General Surgical Care may also remove lymph nodes or part of the chest wall lining, if necessary.

Mastectomy

During a total mastectomy, the entire breast is removed. Some of the lymph nodes may also be removed so they can be checked for cancer. A modified radical mastectomy is surgery to remove the breast, lymph nodes, the lining over the chest muscles, and sometimes part of the chest wall muscles.