When a person is diagnosed with localised breast cancer, the conventional prescription from their healthcare team is almost always surgical intervention to remove the malignant tissue. As long as it is technically viable to remove the afflicted region, surgery is considered the primary strategy in treating breast cancer. In cases of metastatic breast cancer, where the disease has already spread to other parts of the body, surgery is not an effective therapeutic option.
Breast cancer surgery can take different forms depending on the specific circumstances. In some cases, a lumpectomy may be performed, which involves the removal of the tumor while preserving the rest of the breast tissue. On other occasions, a mastectomy may be necessary, which entails the complete removal of the breast to eradicate the cancer. While the primary purpose of breast cancer surgery is therapeutic, it can also serve as a diagnostic procedure and even have cosmetic implications. Sometimes, surgery is exploratory in nature, aiming to identify any signs of cancer spread, while in other instances, it involves breast reconstruction following a mastectomy.
The surgical strategy chosen by the healthcare team will be impacted by a variety of individual circumstances, including the kind and stage of the cancer, the patient's general health state, and personal preferences. Surgery may be utilised as part of an extensive treatment strategy or as the single treatment required, depending on the circumstances.
