The benefits of breast-conserving surgery are twofold: You can keep the breast, which is important for many women, and another surgical incision is avoided. The mastectomy incision area heals faster than the incision area made during a breast-conserving surgery. Time is an important factor in speeding healing and getting back to normal activity.
Breast-conserving surgery helps spare most of the breast tissue, allowing it to be re-used in reconstruction after cancer surgery. This can reduce costs associated with reconstructive surgeries down the road.