Mastectomy
A mastectomy is mainly used as a treatment for breast cancer or to reduce the risk of breast cancer developing.
Although Male breast cancer is much rarer than female breast cancer , it can also be treated with a mastectomy.
The aim of a mastectomy operation is to remove all cancerous tissue fromthe breast. This is very important because if any cancerous cells are left behind, there's a risk that the cancer will grow backand spread to other parts of the body.
A mastectomy isn't always the most suitable treatment for breast cancer, although in many cases it's very effective. The specialist responsible for your care will be able to advise youon this.
A mastectomy may be recommended when:
Once a diagnosis ofbreast cancer has been confirmed, it should be treated as soon as possible. Early detection and treatment of breast cancer improves the chances of a successful outcome and a full recovery.
Risk-reducing (prophylactic)mastectomies are sometimes carried out on non-cancerous, healthy breasts to reduce the risk of breast cancer developing.
The procedure may be considered if a woman has a very high risk of developing breast cancer. This might be because she has a family history of breast cancer and carries a mutated (altered) version of the BRCA1, BRCA2 or TP53 gene. Having one of these altered genes greatly increases a woman'srisk of developing breast cancer.
Prophylactic mastectomies can reduce the risk of breast cancer byup to90% in people at a high risk of developing the condition. In some cases, a lumpectomy (removing a lump from the breast) may be all that's required, rather than removing the whole breast.
If you're concerned about your risk of developing breast cancer in a healthy breast, you should discuss the risks and benefits of surgery with your doctor or surgeon before making a decision. Prophylactic mastectomies aren't usually recommended if there's no evidence of an increased risk of breast cancer.
If you're at an increased risk of breast cancer, it may be possibleto reduce yourchances of developing the condition using medication rather than surgery.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends two medications called tamoxifen and raloxifene for this purpose. Thesemedications aren't suitable foreveryone, but they should beconsidered before making a decision about having a mastectomy.
For more information, read "Drugs to be offered to women at high risk of breast cancer" .
A mastectomy is an operation to remove the breast. It can be used to treat breast cancer in both men and women.
A mastectomy is mainly used as a treatment for breast cancer or as a way of preventing breast cancer developing.
There are several different types of mastectomy, depending on the areas that are removed.
Most people who have a mastectomy recover well after the procedure and do not develop complications.
In most cases, recovery from a mastectomy is straightforward and without complications.
Story of a patient diagnosed with breast cancer twice in four years, once in each breast.
Pauline Polley, from Dorset, had a mastectomy after she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had a breast reconstruction 18 months later.