Mastectomy is a surgical procedure that is
generally performed in the early stages of breast cancer to prevent the spread
of cancerous cells. The surgery involves removing the entire breast, the entire
mammary gland, the areola, the nipple and part of the breast skin.
If the tumor is larger than the volume of the breast, there are several tumors of the same breast, breast cancer recurrence, and histological analysis shows that surgical treatment should be completed, Mastectomy is generally applied. Although breast loss is perceived as a problem in the first place for women, it is mostly accepted directly because it is a solution for the treatment and non-spread of cancer. Sometimes women can choose Mastectomy to feel safer, even when there is no cancer threat. In addition, there is a separate procedure for reconstructing the breast after or during Mastectomy and is used frequently and with high satisfaction.
Who Is This For?
Treatment Duration
2-3 hours
Potential Risks & Side Effects
Recovery Time
Mastectomy surgery is safe and relatively
short, it may extend if performed with
breast reconstruction. It is required short hospital stay which is only one or
two nights. Most patients can return to normal activities in one to two weeks.
Success Rate: 82%
Alternative Treatments
How Does it Work?
Mastectomy is a surgery of the affected breast
and often combined with other treatments such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
It is the most recommended treatment for removing a large number of the cells
that form the cancerous tumor in the breast, but also for checking whether the
disease has spread to the lymph nodes and for treating a recurrence.
What Does Mastectomy Surgery
Involve?
1. Consultation for Mastectomy
As in every process, you will take an online consultation to make sure
that you’re a suitable candidate for the mastectomy surgery. During this
consultation, your health story will be learned in detail and you will be asked
your current situation of tumor evolution, stage of breast cancer, any surgery
that you have experienced before, or the biopsy and imaging results. Thus,
we can better evaluate your case and prepare a customized treatment plan for
you.
In light of all the information you provide, it will be decided whether
you are eligible for this treatment and if you want to continue the process,
the second phase will begin.
2. Planning Your Trip and Choosing the Clinic
This is the stage where you choose one of the clinics and doctors we offer you according to your needs, and also where we arrange the date and trip plan that suits you and your clinic/surgeon choice.
3. Final Consultation with Your Surgeon
When you arrive at the clinic, you will have a face-to-face consultation with your mastectomy surgeon. Everything about your surgery will be discussed and decided during this consultation. The surgeon will ask you some questions to try to understand your concerns and expactations better and also make you understand what you should expect from your treatment and the potential risks or complications of the procedure. You will also decide together the individualized follow-up plan that can be followed after the surgery. The surgeon will explain the whole process clearly in order for you to feel comfortable and ready.
4. Medical Examinations
Before the surgery begins, your surgeon will conduct physical and blood tests to make sure that you are in acceptable health status for the surgery. Every patient is required to undergo medical tests to ensure that nothing can hinder the success of the surgery and if any risk obtained, surgeons prioritize to eliminate them as much as possible before the procedure.
5. Surgery
On
the day of the procedure, the healthcare team will prepare the breast and
armpit on the side to be operated on and you will shower with an antiseptic
product. A premedication, which aims to calm you down will be given before
entering the operating room. The surgeon then makes the incisions and removes
the entire gland. It retains the skin of the breast but removes the nipple and
areola. The final scar is horizontal and extends to the armpit. If a lymph node
removal is necessary, it is most often performed during the same procedure. If
performing breast reconstruction immediately after removing your breast tissue
is part of your treatment plan, your plastic surgeon will perform
reconstruction. After the procedure is done and incisions are closed, a
drainage system is in place to prevent the accumulation of lymph and / or blood
in the operating area.
What Should I Expect from Mastectomy?
Things You Should Consider Before Mastectomy Surgery
FAQ
Is Mastectomy Procedure
Painful?
You may feel pain or soreness after the procedure is done. However, your
surgeon may prescribe painkillers to relieve this pain and discomfort.
What Is the Breast
Reconstruction Surgery After Mastectomy?
Any woman, whatever her age or the stage of progress
of her breast cancer can be candidate for a breast reconstruction surgery after
Mastectomy. Eligibility to the procedure depends on the general state of health
and in the risk factors which may lead to complications after surgery (smoking,
significant overweight etc.).
There are two basic breast reconstruction options.
Breasts can be reconstructed using implants or using autologous tissue (tissue
elsewhere in the body). Sometimes both implants and autologous tissue can be
used together. Breast reconstruction surgery can be performed during
Mastectomy, or it can be performed after mastectomy recovery is finished and
breast cancer treatment is completed.
Our team will dedicate their effort and time to help you choose the clinic best for you. Our goal is not just to find ‘a doctor’ for you, but to find ‘the right doctor’.