The Advantages of Having a Mastectomy
Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among American women — nearly one in eight women develop it in the course of their lifetime. Treatment of breast cancer involves a multidisciplinary approach and therapies are selected based on biology, size, and location of the tumor. In most cases, surgical intervention is recommended, and patients are faced with the decision to undergo lumpectomy followed by radiation (known as breast conservation therapy) or mastectomy.
A mastectomy is the complete surgical removal of breast tissue. This surgical approach is appropriate for patients with breast cancer that does not meet the criteria for breast conservation therapy, patients who prefer mastectomy over BCT, or for prevention of breast cancer in high risk patients.
Historically, mastectomies included the removal of the overlying breast skin. Strategies to preserve the breast skin have now been developed that have significantly improved the cosmetic outcome of immediate breast reconstruction following a mastectomy. Patients who have a mastectomy followed by breast reconstruction can now have equivalent or superior cosmetic outcomes compared to breast conservation therapy.
There are other advantages of having a mastectomy over breast conservation. By choosing a mastectomy, patients have the potential to avoid the need for radiation therapy. This allows women to forgo the skin changes and other effects caused by radiation. Patients also no longer require regular mammograms following a mastectomy. And lastly, while research has demonstrated equivalent survival outcomes between mastectomy and breast conservation therapy, the risk of local recurrence is lower in patients who undergo mastectomy.
The decision to choose a mastectomy over other surgical treatment approaches is difficult and includes many variables. To determine the best plan for you, talk to your breast surgeon in Fort Worth.
Breast Reconstruction Associates – North Austin Area
Breast Reconstruction Associates – Austin TX
FAQs
One potential benefit of choosing mastectomy is that many patients can avoid radiation therapy altogether. This means avoiding the skin irritation, fatigue, and other side effects commonly associated with radiation though your oncology team will make the final determination based on your individual diagnosis and pathology results.
Yes. Advances in surgical techniques, including skin-sparing approaches, have made immediate breast reconstruction a highly viable option following mastectomy. Many women achieve results that are cosmetically comparable to or even better than those seen after breast-conserving procedures.
After a mastectomy, routine mammograms on the treated breast are generally no longer required. Your follow-up care plan will shift to monitoring for overall health and any signs of cancer elsewhere in the body, simplifying the screening process compared to ongoing breast imaging after conservation therapy.
Studies show that overall survival outcomes are broadly equivalent between mastectomy and breast conservation therapy. However, mastectomy does offer a lower rate of cancer returning in the same area (local recurrence), which is an important factor many patients weigh when making their decision.
Several clinical factors come into play, including the tumor’s size, location, and biological characteristics, as well as whether the cancer appears in multiple areas of the breast. Patient preference, genetic profile, and eligibility for radiation are also taken into account. It’s a highly individualized decision made collaboratively between patient and physician.
Recovery varies depending on whether reconstruction is performed at the same time and the type of reconstruction chosen. Generally, patients can expect a hospital stay of one to a few days, activity restrictions for several weeks, and follow-up appointments to monitor healing. Your surgical team will provide a personalized recovery plan and guide you through each stage.