There are three options for managing the breast. These include a breast conserving approach with a lumpectomy and radiation , a mastectomy , or a mastectomy with reconstruction. Not all women are medically appropriate for all three choices. One of the most important things that a surgeon will do during your consultation is determine whether you are a candidate for all these treatments. If not, she will explain why the treatment is not for you.
Breast conserving therapy consists of a lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy.
A lumpectomy is the removal of a cancer with a surrounding area, or margin , of normal breast tissue. There is no single answer to this question. Margins are evaluated by the pathologist . If cancer is still found at the margin after a reexcision, mastectomy may need to be considered. When a lumpectomy is done to treat invasive cancer, radiation is necessary after surgery.