Mastectomy

On this page

Basics

• Summary
• Start Here

Learn More

• Living With
• Related Issues
• Specifics

See, Play and Learn

• Images

Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Men
• Patient Handouts

Summary

A mastectomy is surgery to remove a breast or part of a breast. It is usually done to treat breast cancer. Types of breast surgery include

• Total (simple) mastectomy - removal of breast tissue and nipple
• Modified radical mastectomy - removal of the breast, most of the lymph nodes under the arm, and often the lining over the chest muscles
• Lumpectomy - surgery to remove the tumor and a small amount of normal tissue around it

Which surgery you have depends on the stage of cancer, size of the tumor, size of the breast, and whether the lymph nodes are involved. Many women have breast reconstruction to rebuild the breast after a mastectomy.

Sometimes mastectomy is done to prevent breast cancer. Only high-risk patients have this type of surgery.

NIH: National Cancer Institute

Start Here

• Breast Cancer Surgery (Susan G. Komen for the Cure) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Mastectomy (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
• Mastectomy -- The Surgical Procedure (Susan G. Komen for the Cure)
• Surgery Choices for Women with DCIS or Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute) - PDF Also in Spanish
• Surgery for Breast Cancer (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Living With

• Follow up Care for Breast Cancer Treatment (American Cancer Society) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

• Breast Cancer: Treatment Options (American Society of Clinical Oncology) Also in Spanish
• Choosing a Breast Prosthesis: A Survivor's Perspective (American Society of Clinical Oncology)
• Talking with the Doctor about Breast Surgery Options (American Society of Clinical Oncology)

Specifics

• Deciding between Mastectomy and Lumpectomy (Susan G. Komen for the Cure)
• Surgery to Reduce the Risk of Breast Cancer (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
• What to Expect During a Mastectomy Surgery (Susan G. Komen for the Cure)

Images

• Breast lump removal - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Mastectomy - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Mastectomy (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Pectoral nerve block in anesthesia for modified radical mastectomy: A meta-analysis...
• Article: Breast Cancer Knowledge and Decisions Made for Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy: A...
• Article: An Algorithmic Approach to Prepectoral Direct-to-Implant Breast Reconstruction: Version 2.0.
• Mastectomy -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• American Cancer Society
• National Cancer Institute Also in Spanish

Men

• Surgery for Breast Cancer in Men (American Cancer Society)

Patient Handouts

• Breast lump removal (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Mastectomy (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Mastectomy - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish