Lumpectomy for Breast Cancer

A lumpectomy is also referred to as breast-conserving surgery. The surgeon removes the cancerous area and a surrounding margin of normal tissue. A second incision may be made in order to remove the lymph nodes. This treatment aims to maintain a normal breast appearance when the surgery is over.

After the lumpectomy, a five- to eight-week course of radiation therapy is often used to treat the remaining breast tissue. The majority of women who have small, early-stage breast cancers are excellent candidates for this treatment approach.

Women who are not usually eligible for a lumpectomy include those who have already had radiation therapy to the affected breast, have two or more areas of cancer in the same breast that are too far apart to be removed through one incision, or have cancer that was not completely removed during the lumpectomy surgery.