Lumpectomy removes only the breast lump and a surrounding margin of normal tissue.
Lumpectomy is usually followed by six or seven weeks of radiation therapy. Radiation therapy is usually given following this surgery. Side effects of the operation include temporary swelling and tenderness and hardness due to scar tissue that forms at the surgical site. Modified radical mastectomy involves the removal of the entire breast and the axillary lymph nodes. This is the most common surgery for women with breast cancer who are having the entire breast removed.