What is a lumpectomy?

A breast cancer diagnosis doesn't always result in a mastectomy. In some cases, your consultant may recommend a treatment known as a lumpectomy instead. It's also sometimes known as breast-conserving surgery, or a wide local excision.

As you may have guessed from the less-than-sexy name, it's a procedure that's designed to remove the cancerous lump (and a small amount of surrounding healthy tissue just to be sure), while leaving as much of your breast in tact as possible. Like with a mastectomy, it may be necessary to have some radiotherapy, chemotherapy or hormone therapy after, depending on the specifics of your cancer.

What to know:

🩷 it's usually performed under general anaesthetic, but you can normally go home the same day as your surgery
🩷 the procedure could affect the shape or appearance of your breast, and in some cases, your surgeon may offer to alter the other breast to make them more symmetrical in size/appearance
🩷 you'll be left with a small wound which could leave a scar, but proper aftercare can help to reduce the impact of it's appearance
🩷 sometimes your surgeon will remove some lymph nodes too, to check that the cancer hasn't spread
🩷 you'll need to take at least a week to recover, but always follow the recommendations of your surgeon
🩷 it's a significant procedure with lasting physical and emotional effects, so be sure to seek support from your loved ones

If you still have questions about having a lumpectomy, feel free to ask me either on here, or in confidence via DM.

D x