Breast Cancer Surgery Surgery is the most common treatment for breast cancer. There are several types of surgery. Your surgeon can describe each type of surgery to you, compare their effectiveness and risks, and help you decide which one may be best for you: 1. Removal of part of the breast: Breast-conserving surgery This surgery removes the cancerous tumor and a small amount of normal tissue that surrounds it. This is also known as breast-conserving surgery for breast cancer. It can be a divisional mastectomy or a mastectomy also known as a partial mastectomy. Patients usually need to receive radiation therapy after breast-conserving surgery to kill any cancer cells that may remain in the breast area. Some women will have more tissue removed, but not the entire breast. For these women, the surgeon will remove the lymph nodes in the armpit and some of the chest muscle underneath the tumor. 2. Removal of the entire breast: A type of mastectomy that removes the entire breast (or as much of the breast tissue as possible). In some cases, a skin-preserving mastectomy may be an option. For this method, the surgeon removes as little skin as possible. The entire breast is removed, but not the axillary lymph nodes. In a modified radical mastectomy, the surgeon removes most or all of the lymph nodes under the entire breast and arm. Often, the muscles lining the chest are also removed. The pectoralis minor muscle may also be removed to make it easier for the lymph nodes to be removed. The choice between breast-conserving surgery and mastectomy depends on many factors: 1. the size, location, and stage of the tumor 2. the size of your breast 3. certain characteristics of the cancer 4. your personal feelings about how the surgery will change your breast 5. your personal feelings about radiation therapy 6. whether you will be able to visit the radiation therapy center daily during the procedure The surgeon usually removes one or more lymph nodes from under the arm The surgeon usually removes one or more lymph nodes from under the arm to check for the presence of cancer cells. If cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes, additional cancer treatment will be needed. After a mastectomy, you may choose to have your breast reconstructed. Plastic surgery will reconstruct the shape of your breast. It is common to feel tired or weak for some time after breast cancer surgery. Healing takes time and varies from patient to patient. Surgery can cause pain and pressure, and you may feel a tightness in the skin of the part of your breast that was removed. The muscles in your arms and shoulders may feel stiff and weak, and you may have pain in your neck and back. Medications can help you manage the pain. Before your surgery, talk with your health care team about ways to relieve pain. After surgery, they can adjust their methods if you need more control and pain relief. With any type of surgery there is a risk of infection and bleeding, or other problems. If you notice any problems, tell your health care team right away. Removing the underarm lymph nodes can slow the flow of lymph fluid. The lymph fluid may pool in your arms and hands and cause swelling. This swelling is called lymphedema and it may be present soon after surgery, or months or even years afterwards. Caution: Always protect your arm and hand on the healing side of your body to avoid cuts, burns or other injuries. Remind the nurses not to take your blood pressure or give you injections on the side of your body that has had surgery. Your doctor, nurse and physical therapist will recommend rehabilitation exercises to help you regain movement and strength in your arm and shoulder. Exercises can also reduce stiffness and pain. You may be able to start gentle exercise a few days after surgery. Because nerves may have been involved during surgery, you may have numbness and tingling in your chest, underarms, shoulders and upper arms. These sensations may disappear within a few weeks or months.