Mastectomy

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If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, your specialist will be able to tell you about all of the treatment options that are available and appropriate in your case. The right treatment depends upon the size of the tumour, the number of tumours, whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, and also your personal preference. No operation will be done without your consent.

The best option for you may be a mastectomy. A mastectomy is an operation to remove a breast, and most of the skin covering it, usually because it has been affected by cancer.

There are three types of mastectomy:

A simple mastectomy - which involves the removal of the breast tissue.
A radical mastectomy - which means the removal of the breast tissue, plus the muscles from the chest wall (however this is very rare).
A modified radical mastectomy - which means the removal of the breast tissue, plus the lymph nodes (small glands) from under the arm.

If you are going to have a mastectomy, your surgeon will advise you about the type of mastectomy you need.