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MASTECTOMY

A mastectomy means that the whole breast must be removed.
There are 3 main types of mastectomy.

  1. Simple or Total Mastectomy
    In this type of mastectomy the entire breast is removed. In some cases this is the only treatment needed. In other cases radiation therapy may follow. Sometimes a few lymph nodes may be removed.
  2. Modified Radical Mastectomy
    In this operation the entire breast, the under arm lymph nodes and the lining over the chest muscles, but not the muscles themselves, are removed. If there is a possibility that the cancer may return, radiotherapy may also be necessary.
  3. Radical Mastectomy
    This type of mastectomy is similar to the one above, but the chest muscles under the breast are also removed. This is the type of mastectomy chosen for those whose cancers are attached to the chest wall.

The type of mastectomy depends on the type of tumour, its size, and how fast it has spread, as well as the patient's general health and well-being.

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