“The goal of lumpectomy surgery is to take the cancer out and do the safest operation that we can," says Jaime Alberty-Oller, MD, breast cancer oncologist and surgeon at Dubin Breast Center, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. The amount of breast tissue that's removed during a lumpectomy depends on the size and location of the tumor, your breast size, and other factors. It's typically a same-day surgery and may also be performed with a sentinel lymph node biopsy, in which several local lymph nodes are removed to determine if the breast cancer has spread.
Knowing what to expect is important — especially since there are many myths about surgery for breast cancer. In this video, learn what you can expect after a lumpectomy for breast cancer, including appearance, recovery, side effects, after care, and more.
Dr. Alberty is a surgical breast oncologist at the Dubin Breast Center of the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital.
References
Blackburn, K. (2021). Lumpectomy: 7 things to know. The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Conner, K. (2023). What to expect with lumpectomy. Breastcancer.org.
National Cancer Institute. (n.d.). Definition of lumpectomy.
Susan G. Komen Foundation (2023). Lumpectomy.
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