Breast Cancer Surgery

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, surgery will likely be a part of your treatment. Depending upon the type and stage of your cancer, your surgeon may recommend a breast-conserving surgery or a mastectomy (breast removal). Lymph node removal is performed at the same time as the surgery, or may be performed as a second surgery, to determine if the cancer has spread. Following a mastectomy, many women undergo breast reconstructive surgery to rebuild the breast.

The surgeons at Texas Health Center for Diagnostics & Surgery have extensive experience in performing all types of breast cancer surgical procedures. Our dedicated team of nurses will provide personalized support and care during your surgery and recovery.

Types of breast cancer procedures performed at Texas Health Center for Diagnostics & Surgery include:

Lumpectomy

A lumpectomy is the removal of the breast tumor (the "lump") and a surrounding margin of normal tissue. Lumpectomy is a form of “breast-conserving” or "breast preservation" surgery.

Simple or total mastectomy

Removal of the entire breast, including the skin and nipple, but not the underam lumph nodes or muscle tissue tissue from beneath the breast. Sometimes both breasts are removed (a double mastectomy), often as preventive surgery in women at very high risk for breast cancer.

Lymph node surgery

To determine if the breast cancer has spread to the axillary (underam) lymph nodes, one or more of the these lymph nodes may be removed and examined.

Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND): Axillary lymph node dissection is the removal of the some of the lymph nodes (about 10 to 40) under your arm (axilla) to determine if the cancer has spread. It is usually performed during a mastectomy or breast-conserving procedure, but it can be performed as a second operation.

Breast reconstruction: Breast reconstruction is a procedure to reconstruct the breast to near normal shape, size and appearance following a mastectomy. Many women can begin the reconstruction process at the same time as the mastectomy surgery. This is known as immediate reconstruction.