Breast Conservation Surgery
Breast conservation surgery is a group of procedures used to treat breast cancer that remove only a portion of the affected breast. Lumpectomy surgery removes the breast lump and a surrounding section of normal tissue. Lumpectomies are usually followed by radiation therapy. Partial mastectomies or quadrantectomies remove a larger portion of breast tissue (1/2 to ¼ of the breast) and are also typically followed by radiation treatments. If the lab analysis of the removed tissue suggests that the cancer remains at the edge of the incision, the surgeon may need to remove more tissue (a re-excision surgery). Sometimes, a mastectomy (removal of the entire breast) may be necessary if the surgeon cannot remove enough affected tissue with conservation techniques. Breast conservation therapy is thought to be as effective as mastectomy surgeries for women with early stage breast cancers.  However, breast conservation techniques may not be an option for women with more advanced stages of breast cancer.