There are two types of breast cancer surgery in Reading PA, lumpectomy and mastectomy. The surgery that will be performed is all determined on the extent of the cancers spread. A lumpectomy only concerns itself with removal of the tissues which are diseased and is often the choice of the surgeon when the cancer is found in its early stage. Conversely, a mastectomy involves removal of all or nearly all the affected breast, this more extreme surgery is demanded when the cancer has spread and infected a larger area. Once surgery has been performed, either lumpectomy or mastectomy, the follow-up treatment is radiation therapy. In the event of a mastectomy, breast reconstruction surgery is also performed. A lumpectomy can be an outpatient procedure but a mastectomy must be done in a hospital setting.
If the disease is caught in its early stages, a lumpectomy can be done and the patient can usually expect full recovery. The surgeon will remove the diseased tissue and the tissue that immediately surrounds the diseased area. At times, breast cancer surgery in Reading PA will involve the removal of the lymph nodes if it appears the cancer has spread that far. After surgery, radiation therapy is usually given for a couple of months. If a woman has had radiation on her breasts or the cancer is in two places or more cannot have a simple lumpectomy and must have a full or partial mastectomy.
A partial mastectomy is somewhat similar to a lumpectomy as only a portion of the breast is excised. The remaining breast which is composed of healthy tissue is untouched; radiation is also given, the period lasting from 6 weeks to two months.
When the cancer has spread to the entire breast the only solution is a full mastectomy which entails removal of the entire breast. When the lymph nodes are found to be free of cancer, the procedure is considered a simple mastectomy. When the nipple and the lymph nodes also are removed the procedure is known as a modified mastectomy. A radical mastectomy entails the removal of the breast, nipple, lymph nodes as well as the surrounding muscles of the chest. Although this surgery is radical, breast reconstruction is a popular follow up procedure and the patient moves on comfortably with her life. The surgeons at Spring Ridge Surgical Specialists in Reading PA perform breast cancer surgery using state of the art procedures that take into account your specific needs.
