Understanding the facts: How urgent is breast cancer surgery?

In the days following a breast cancer diagnosis, it’s understandable to have many questions and concerns. We’re answering a common one: “How urgent is breast cancer surgery?”

Most women diagnosed with breast cancer have some type of surgery, either as a standalone treatment or along with other therapies.

Every person’s cancer experience is individualized, though. Your care team’s recommendations for the type of surgery you need and when you need to have it will vary depending on factors, including the stage of cancer and whether other therapies are recommended first.

Keep reading as our East Jefferson General Hospital oncology team answers some commonly asked questions about breast cancer surgery.

Q: When is breast cancer surgery needed?

A: This year in the U.S., more than 310,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed among women. Most of those women will have some type of breast surgery as part of their treatment plan.

Women with early-stage breast cancer, meaning the cancer hasn’t spread beyond the breast tissue, may require only surgery to treat the cancer.

In other cases, surgery may be used along with chemotherapy or radiation therapy to eradicate cancer cells. Reconstructive surgery to restore the shape of the breast may also be a part of a woman’s treatment plan.

Q: Are there different types of breast cancer surgery?

A: You’ve probably heard the word “mastectomy,” which is a type of breast cancer surgery. While mastectomy is a current treatment for breast cancer, it isn’t the only type of surgery used to treat the condition.

There are three primary types of surgeries for breast cancer, including two types of mastectomies:

• Lumpectomy, which is also called wide local excision, is a breast-conserving surgery. That means exactly what it sounds like—it’s a surgery to remove the cancer while retaining as much healthy tissue in the breast as possible.
• Mastectomy is a surgery that removes the entire breast. In some cases, both breasts will be removed at the same time, which is known as a double mastectomy.
• Mastectomy with reconstruction is the surgical removal of the breast with a breast reconstruction at the same time or afterward.

During surgery removing the cancer, lymph nodes in the armpit may also be removed through either a sentinel lymph node biopsy or an axillary lymph node dissection. That tissue is then tested to determine whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes.

Q: Is breast cancer surgery always done right after diagnosis?

A: Not always. In some cases, your oncologist may recommend having chemotherapy before undergoing surgery. This is called “neoadjuvant chemotherapy,” and it’s used to shrink the cancer before surgically removing it.

While this approach isn’t right for every patient, it can sometimes shrink the cancer enough to allow more healthy tissue to be left untouched during a lumpectomy. It may also eradicate cancer in nearby lymph nodes before surgery.

Otherwise, surgery is usually recommended within a few weeks of a breast cancer diagnosis. While it can be overwhelming to consider a diagnosis, research shows that promptly beginning treatment leads to better outcomes.

A research study published in 2023 found that breast cancer outcomes are best when surgery is done within eight weeks of diagnosis. Most patients undergo surgery within three to six weeks following a diagnosis.

Along with surgery, a treatment plan for breast cancer may also include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, hormone therapy or clinical trials. Your care team can advise about the best treatment options for your needs.

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, the team of oncology specialists at East Jefferson General Hospital is here to walk with you every step of the way. Learn more about our services, or call 504.883.2968 to schedule an appointment.