Breast-conserving surgery: what does it involve?

Breast-conserving surgery removes the cancer with a surrounding margin of healthy tissue while preserving as much of the breast as is safely possible. It is commonly called a lumpectomy or wide local excision.

Is it suitable for everyone?

Suitability depends on the size and position of the tumour, the size of the breast, whether there is one area or several, previous treatment and the expected cosmetic result. The plan is made with the wider multidisciplinary team.

What are surgical margins?

After surgery, the removed tissue is examined by pathology. The margin describes the edge of healthy tissue around the tumour. Further surgery may occasionally be needed if cancer cells are too close to an edge.

What about lymph nodes?

Depending on the diagnosis, sentinel lymph-node biopsy may be performed during the same operation to assess the first draining lymph nodes.

Oncoplastic techniques

Oncoplastic surgery combines cancer removal with plastic-surgery techniques to reshape the breast. This can improve symmetry and may allow a larger area to be removed while preserving breast form.