Breast Lumpectomy Surgery

Things to consider before having your breast lumpectomy surgery.

A breast cancer diagnosis is a very difficult thing to experience. It can have a huge impact on your life, and personally understanding what your body is about to go through can be overwhelming. But going through lumpectomy does not have to be as bad as it seems. Being in the right hands you can rest assured that you will be treated accurately for your diagnosis, while also having your intended aesthetic outcomes managed too.

Let’s outline what is involved in a breast lumpectomy surgery Melbourne:

When seeking your breast lumpectomy surgery in Melbourne it is important to ensure that your chosen doctor explains the following things:

What is a double mastectomy and why do some women opt-in, while others do not?

Different to a lumpectomy, which involves only removing the lump or mass of cancerous tissue from a breast, a double mastectomy is a surgery that involves the removal of both breasts.

While this may seem extreme, it is not unusual for women who have received a cancer diagnosis or who have a genetic predisposition to developing breast cancer to opt for this surgery. This is because the risk of developing subsequent cancer after an initial diagnosis is much higher and some women would rather take this precaution rather than have to go through cancer a second time.

Should a lumpectomy also include biopsy of my lymph nodes?

Yes it should. The lymphatic system, particularly the glands adjacent to the breasts, is notorious for hiding cancers. When your doctor is conducting more in-depth screening to learn about your diagnosis, it is crucial for the lymph nodes to be included. Unfortunately this is something that is often overlooked, leaving cancerous tissue undiscovered, which can be catastrophic later on.

What are the aesthetic outcomes you might desire?

A common attitude within breast cancer surgery is that women should simply be happy to survive a cancer diagnosis and not be concerned with the aesthetic changes that might result from their treatment. Many patients who undergo Dr Nicole Yap’s Melbourne breast lumpectomy surgery have been known to opt for combining a cosmetic procedure with cancer removal, to cater to their psychological wellbeing by turning part of a very negative experience into something that they can work with.

Lumpectomy can leave scars, and living with these marks or deformities means being constantly reminded of the trauma that one has been through. This does not have to be the case, and for this reason the practice of Oncoplastic surgery is becoming more and more popular.