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Become a member and receive career-enhancing benefits

Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your ACS member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your ACS colleagues. It's all here.

Become a Member
Become a member and receive career-enhancing benefits

Our top priority is providing value to members. Your Member Services team is here to ensure you maximize your ACS member benefits, participate in College activities, and engage with your ACS colleagues. It's all here.

Membership Benefits
ACS
Breast Cancer Surgery

Understanding Your Operation

The type of operation depends on the stage of your cancer, your health, and choices around reconstruction. The two options for breast surgery are breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy) and mastectomy.

Understanding Your Operation

The type of operation that you will need depends on the stage of your cancer.

The two options for breast surgery are:

  • Breast-conserving surgery. This means removing the tumor and tissue around it that might have cancer cells. The entire breast is not removed.
  • Mastectomy. This is the surgical removal of all the breast tissue in one or both breasts. 

Discussing Choices with Your Health Care Team

Important things to consider about treatment:

  • Your current health status
  • Breast size compared to tumor size
  • The tumor's location, size, and lymph node involvement
  • Presence of a BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, or other gene mutation
  • Your desire for breast reconstruction
  • Your support system
  • Possible side effects of a lymph node biopsy or removal. These may include swelling, numbness, change in sensation, and/or lymphedema.
  • Possible radiation-related side effects. These may include a change in skin texture, color, shape, or size.

Keeping You Informed

Reasons why breast-conserving surgery may not be an option:

  • A large tumor in a small breast that might affect the cosmetic result
  • The tumor extends beyond the margins
  • You are unable or do not want to follow up with radiation therapy
  • You would prefer to have a mastectomy
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