For women who are diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, breast conservation surgery (BCS) is often the treatment of choice. Also known as a lumpectomy, this standard procedure removes small cancerous tumors while preserving as much healthy breast tissue as possible.
As a board-certified general surgeon who specializes in breast surgery, Elvira Klause, MD, FACS, performs breast-conserving lumpectomies on a regular basis. Here’s how this effective treatment helps stop early-stage breast cancer in its tracks.
Commonly referred to as a lumpectomy or partial mastectomy, BCS is a targeted surgical technique that removes cancerous breast tumors along with a small margin of adjacent tissue for testing. In some cases, a few underarm lymph nodes may also be removed.
In contrast to a mastectomy, BCS leaves the breast mound intact. After a lumpectomy, most women undergo radiation therapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells that weren’t removed during surgery. Some women receive chemotherapy or hormone therapy along with radiation.
The main benefit of BCS is that it preserves most of the affected breast. At the same time, BCS almost always requires a follow-up course of radiation to minimize risk of recurrence.
Although it’s a good option for many women who’ve been diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, BCS isn’t a viable solution for all breast cancer patients. To qualify for BCS treatment, you must:
You may not qualify for BCS if you have:
BCS also isn’t an option if you have a connective tissue disorder like lupus or scleroderma that makes you very sensitive to the side effects of radiation therapy.
Women who are diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer are sometimes given the choice to have a lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy or undergo a complete mastectomy.
Some women worry that choosing to preserve their breast through BCS might increase their risk of recurrence, but that’s simply not the case. In fact, studies show that when it comes to treating early-stage breast cancer, BCS followed by radiation is just as effective at preventing recurrence as whole-breast removal via mastectomy.
Choosing BCS doesn’t preclude you from having a mastectomy in the future, however.
Following BCS, a pathologist examines the margin tissue samples for cancer cells. If cancer cells are found, Dr. Klause performs a re-excision to remove more tissue. If cancer cells are found in the margins after a second surgery, a mastectomy may be your only option.
To learn more about the breast surgery options available near Laguna Hills, California, schedule your first appointment with Dr. Klause today.
