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Breast lump removal - Risks

Alternative Names

Lumpectomy; Wide local excision; Excisional biopsy; Limited breast surgery; Segmental mastectomy: Breast conservation therapy or surgery; Tylectomy; Breast sparing surgery; Partial mastectomy; Segmental breast excision

Risks:

Risks for any surgery are:

Bleeding
Infection
Reactions to medications

Risks for this procedure are:

Since a lumpectomy removes part of the breast, the appearance of your breast may change. After surgery, you may notice dimpling, a scar, or a difference in shape between the two breasts.
Some microscopic pieces of the lump may be left behind after surgery. If this happens, they will need to be removed in another operation.
You may also have numbness in the breast area.

Female Breast

Needle biopsy of the breast

Open biopsy of the breast

Breast self-exam

Breast lumps

Lumpectomy

Causes of breast lumps

Breast lump removal - series

Reviewed last on: 2/26/2009
James Lee, M.D., Department of Surgery, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY. Review Provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

References

Iglehart JK, Smith BL. Diseases of the Breast. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery, 18th ed. St. Louis, M0: WB Saunders; 2008: chap. 34.

Khatcheressian JL, Wolff AC, Smith TJ, Grunfeld E, Muss HB, Vogel VG, et al.American Society of Clinical Oncology 2006 update of the breast cancer follow-up and management guidelines in the adjuvant setting. J Clin Oncol. 2006 Nov 1;24(31):5091-7. Epub 2006 Oct 10.

Abeloff MD, Wolff AC, Weber BL, Zaks TZ, Sacchini V, McCormick B. Cancer of the breast. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, Kastan MB, McKena WG, eds. Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008:chap 95.

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