Potential Risks in Breast Cancer Surgery

Dr. Danielle Bertoni, MD, MPH

Video Transcript

There are two main types of breast cancer surgery: lumpectomy and mastectomy. In a lumpectomy, the tumor is removed along with a small margin of normal tissue, while a mastectomy involves removing the entire breast. The main difference between these surgeries is the risks of complications and recovery times. A lumpectomy is a small outpatient procedure, and recovery is generally quick. Some patients are able to return to work within a few days, while others may take a week or two to recover, but most people are able to resume normal activities fairly quickly. In contrast, recovery from a mastectomy, especially with reconstruction, typically takes around 4 weeks, and if you opt for a type of reconstruction called a flap, recovery could take 8 to 10 weeks. Mastectomy patients are always offered reconstruction, which is part of their breast cancer treatment and often performed by a plastic surgeon. Both surgeries have risks. With a mastectomy, potential complications include bleeding, infection, skin necrosis (skin loss), and implant loss in the event of an infection. These complications are rare. For lumpectomy patients, one potential issue is the need for reexcision of a margin if more tissue needs to be removed, though this is not always considered a complication. A more common risk in both types of surgery involves the lymph nodes. We often need to remove some lymph nodes from the armpit to check if cancer has spread. In most cases, only a few sentinel lymph nodes are removed, but in some patients, all lymph nodes in the armpit may need to be taken out. One potential complication from removing lymph nodes is lymphedema, where fluid builds up in the arm, causing swelling and heaviness. The risk of lymphedema is around 5-10% for sentinel node removal, and around 20% for removal of all lymph nodes. Overall, breast cancer surgery is generally well-tolerated, and most patients recover quickly and successfully. I look forward to meeting you. Please visit us at basscancercenter.com to learn more about me and how to schedule a visit.