Breast Cancer Surgery

Introduction

Breast cancer is when breast cells mutate and become cancerous cells that multiply and form tumors. Breast cancer typically affects women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) age 50 and older, but it can also affect men and people assigned male at birth (AMAB), as well as younger women. Healthcare providers may treat breast cancer with surgery to remove tumors or treatment to kill cancerous cells.

What is breast cancer?

One of the most prevalent malignancies to strike women and those who identify as female at birth is breast cancer (AFAB). It occurs when malignant cells in your breasts grow into tumors. An invasive breast cancer is one in which the tumor spreads to other parts of the body, accounting for about 80% of cases.

Although it usually affects women over 50, breast cancer can also strike women and people with AFAB under 50. Breast cancer is also a possibility for men and those who were designated male at birth (AMAB).

Breast cancer types

Healthcare providers determine cancer types and subtypes so they can tailor treatment to be as effective as possible with the fewest possible side effects. Common types of breast cancer include:

Invasive (infiltrating) ductal carcinoma (IDC)

This cancer starts in your milk ducts and spreads to nearby breast tissue. It’s the most common type of breast cancer in the United States.

Lobular breast cancer

This breast cancer starts in the milk-producing glands (lobules) in your breast and often spreads to nearby breast tissue. It’s the second most common breast cancer in the United States.

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)

Like IDC, this breast cancer starts in your milk ducts. The difference is DCIS doesn’t spread beyond your milk ducts.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)

This invasive cancer is aggressive and spreads more quickly than other breast cancers.

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC)

This rare, fast-growing cancer looks like a rash on your breast. IBC is rare in the United States.

Paget’s disease of the breast

This rare cancer affects the skin of your nipple and may look like a rash. Less than 4% of all breast cancers are Paget’s disease of the breast.

Symptoms
  1. A change in the size, shape or contour of your breast.
  2. A mass or lump, which may feel as small as a pea.
  3. A lump or thickening in or near your breast or in your underarm that persists through your menstrual cycle.
  4. A change in the look or feel of your skin on your breast or nipple. Your skin may look dimpled, puckered, scaly or inflamed. It may look red, purple or darker than other parts of your breast.
  5. A marble-like hardened area under your skin.
  6. A blood-stained or clear fluid discharge from your nipple.

Stages of breast cancer

  • Stage 0 : The disease is noninvasive, meaning it hasn’t spread from your breast ducts to other parts of your breast.
  • Stage I : There are cancerous cells in nearby breast tissue.
  • Stage II : The cancerous cells have formed a tumor or tumors. The tumor is either smaller than 2 centimeters across and has spread to underarm lymph nodes or larger than 5 centimeters across but hasn’t spread to underarm lymph nodes. Tumors at this stage can measure anywhere between 2 and 5 centimeters across, and may or may not affect the nearby lymph nodes.
  • Stage III : There’s breast cancer in nearby tissue and lymph nodes. Stage III is usually referred to as locally advanced breast cancer.
  • Stage IV : Cancer has spread from your breast to areas like your bones, liver, lungs or brain.