Lumpectomy is one of many names for a breast cancer surgical procedure where cancer is removed with a margin of normal tissue. It has also been called a partial mastectomy, wide excision or wide local excision (WLE), breast conserving surgery but the procedure is, in essence, very much the same. It is often offered in early breast cancer where the cancer is small compared to the size of the breast. Radiotherapy is often required after this surgery to ensure that the risk of cancer coming back is low. Almost as low as that of a mastectomy where all the breast tissue is removed. If the cancer to be removed in a lumpectomy is large compared to breast size, there is likely to be breast deformity after surgery. This is where an oncoplastic surgeon is useful.
Oncoplastic Surgery for Breast Cancer
When it comes to early stage breast cancer, a breast surgeon in Singapore can offer a lumpectomy in order to preserve the woman’s breast. The specific indications for lumpectomy include the following:
- Tumour size is less than 5 cm in diameter AND is small relative to size of breast
- Tumour is located away from the nipple
Some women, however, may not be suitable for lumpectomy, and they include the following:
- Women with two or more tumours within the same breast
- Pregnant women
- Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and other connective tissue diseases, due to the risk posed by radiotherapy
- Women below 30 years of age, a detailed discussion with your breast surgeon is required because of the high rate of recurrence following this surgery
Types of Lumpectomy
There are several types of lumpectomy and medical procedure approaches that are dependent on the patient’s condition. In situations where breast cancer cannot be detected by the surgeon, special techniques may be used to identify the location for the cancer to aid in its removal: Radioguided Occult Lesion Localization On the day of surgery, a radiologist takes mammogram or ultrasound scans of the breast in order to locate the cancer. After applying local anesthetic to the breast skin, a very tiny bit of radioactive dye is injected into the cancer. The cancer is located by the surgeon during the surgery with a special detector. Wire-Guided Lumpectomy On the day of surgery, a radiologist takes mammogram or ultrasound scans of the breast in order to locate the lump cancer. After applying local anesthetic to the breast skin, a very thin wire is inserted into the cancer through the skin. The breast surgeon uses the wire as a guide to locate the cancer and remove it. Both the lump and wire are removed.
