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Breast Cancer

What Is a Lumpectomy? A Breast Cancer Surgeon Explains

Lauren Smith, MASanjai Sinha, MD
Written by Lauren Smith, MA | Reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD
Updated on December 5, 2025
Featuring Jaime Alberty, MDReviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD | December 5, 2025

“Most women [who] are diagnosed with breast cancer will have surgery at some point during their treatment,” says Jaime Alberty-Oller, MD, breast cancer oncologist and surgeon at the Dubin Breast Center of the Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Lumpectomies are a type of breast surgery where, instead of removing all of the breast tissue, a portion of the breast is removed. The surgeon will remove the cancer, as well as a rim of normal tissue surrounding it, which is called the margin. Learn more about different types of breast cancer surgery.

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Lauren Smith, MA
Written by:
Lauren Smith, MA
Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.
Sanjai Sinha, MD
Reviewed by:
Sanjai Sinha, MD
Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

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