Lumpectomy

Your Recovery Breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) removes the cancer and just enough tissue to get all the cancer. For 1 or 2 days after the surgery, you will probably feel tired and have some pain. The skin around the cut (incision) may feel firm, swollen, and tender, and be bruised. Tenderness should go away in about 2 or 3 days, and the bruising within 2 weeks. Firmness and swelling may last for 3 to 6 months. You may feel a soft lump in your breast that gradually turns hard. This is the incision healing. It is not cancer. Women should wear a well-fitted and supportive bra, even during the night, for 1 week. You will probably be able to go back to work or your normal routine in 1 to 3 weeks after the surgery. This may depend on whether you have more treatment. Your doctor may have removed some lymph nodes in your armpit to see if the cancer has spread. If so, you may feel either numbness or tingling ("pins and needles") in your armpit or on the inside of your upper arm. This should improve over the next several weeks. Some people have numbness for a longer time. When you find out that you have cancer, you may feel many emotions and may need some help coping. Seek out family, friends, and counselors for support. You also can do things at home to make yourself feel better while you go through treatment. Call the American Cancer Society (1-800-227-2345) or visit its website at www.cancer.org for more information. • Rest when you feel tired. Getting enough sleep will hel...

• According to the • Treatment — which could include surgery, hormone-blocking pills, targeted radiation or a combination of these therapies — depends on the characteristics of the tumor. Chemotherapy is used occasionally. • Healthy, active, independent patients have the best chance of a good outcome. Common Breast Cancers in Older Adults The most common cancer diagnosed in this age group is invasive ductal carcinoma, or IDC, followed by invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC). These cancers arise in different tissues of the breast, but are treated in similar ways. Most invasive cancers in this age group are hormone receptor positive. Hormone-positive breast cancers are considered slow-growing tumors, which can mean a good overall prognosis. Individualized Breast Cancer Treatment for Older Adults Tran says her group’s approach to dealing with breast cancer in patients of any age is highly individualized. “We recommend both the treatments and the order in which the patient will receive them, which is very important. For instance, radiation is not common before surgery, since it makes wound healing more difficult.” She notes that most cancers are found early, and generally surgery is the first step in treatment. But for cancers that are more advanced when they are diagnosed, starting out with chemotherapy can offer some advantages. “In cases where the cancer is advanced, chemotherapy is often done first to shrink the tumor. Another benefit of doing chemotherapy first is the tumor’s...

Luis Alvarez / Getty Images Post-Lumpectomy Care Instructions Proper post-lumpectomy care is vital for recovery and healing. Measures include keeping the wound clean, taking medication on a proper schedule, sleeping in the correct position, and more. Below are the basics you need to know about recovering from a lumpectomy. • Keeping the area clean: Use an antibacterial soap, avoid getting the dressing wet, and change bandages as instructed. • Changing the dressing: Changing the dressing helps keep the area clean and prevents infection. Your healthcare provider will have specific information about how often you must change your dressing. • Watching for signs of infection: Infection is possible post-op, so make sure you look for signs of infection; this includes pus or drainage, a bad smell, redness, tenderness, pain, and an incision that is hot to the touch. • Being gentle with the incision: This includes everything from no heavy lifting to no scrubbing at the incision to avoid causing damage to the surgical site. • Take care of surgical drains if applicable: Sometimes, Look for signs of infection at the incision site, including pus or drainage, a foul odor from the wound, redness, pain, tenderness, hot skin, and fever or chills. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of these symptoms. Other potential reasons to seek medical attention after a lumpectomy include pain that isn't relieved by over-the-counter (OTC) pain relievers. Medication Schedul...

If breast imaging shows a mass or you have been diagnosed with At the Abramson Cancer Center, our breast surgeons use advanced techniques to remove breast tissue with precision and minimal scarring. We preserve your breasts while getting you the answers and treatment you need. What Is a Lumpectomy? A lumpectomy is a common Your doctor uses When Is Lumpectomy Recommended for Breast Cancer? Lumpectomies are typically performed for early-stage breast cancer that has not yet spread to surrounding areas. If breast imaging detected a tumor that was small in size relative to your breast or a tumor that has only affected one area of your breast, you may be a candidate for breast conserving surgery. Because lumpectomy is often paired with subsequent A lumpectomy may also be used if imaging results have shown non-cancerous abnormalities, such as to remove a fibroadenoma of the breast. What to Expect During Breast Conserving Surgery Our experienced breast cancer team considers both your diagnosis and your preferences when creating a surgical plan. If you do not need or want a mastectomy, we often recommend breast conserving surgery lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy. For more advanced cancer, we may recommend Procedure Steps We perform lumpectomies as outpatient procedures. A typical breast conserving surgery involves: • Locating the tumor: Before the surgery, tumor localization will be performed to locate the abnormal mass and tissue to be removed. This can be done using diagn...

Women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer often can choose to have a lumpectomy, which removes only cancerous tissue and a thin margin of surrounding healthy cells instead of the entire breast. Current cancer guidelines for most women under 65 recommend following lumpectomy with radiation therapy, which targets stray cancer cells that might otherwise cause breast cancer to recur or spread to other parts of the body. A new study presented at the 2022 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology could eventually expand an option for skipping radiation to some women as young as 55. However, limitations in necessary testing could hinder the approach from becoming widespread, according to a Harvard expert. A lower risk for breast cancer recurrence Landmark 2004 Generally, this option is offered to women 65 or older who have small tumors with nonaggressive cells that haven't spread to the lymph nodes. Medically, this is described as a T1N0, grade 1-2 tumor. The tumors must be estrogen receptor-positive, meaning that the hormone estrogen helps fuel their growth. They also must have an adequate margin of normal tissue surrounding the tumor cut away to ensure all the cancer has been removed. Women who decide to omit radiation instead receive medication known as endocrine therapy for five years. This stops cancer cells from using hormones like estrogen to grow and spread. "This has been the standard of care for a long time in women 65 or older. Now the debate is ...