Remember that not all breast cancers are the same and therefore surgical treatment is individualized. Depending on your specific cancer, your surgeon might recommend that you have a particular operation. On the other hand, you might have a choice of operations to consider. • Lumpectomy/breast conservation therapy is removing the cancer with a surrounding border of normal breast tissue (breast conserving surgery) followed by radiotherapy • A mastectomy removes the whole breast (mastectomy) and then possibly having a new breast made (breast reconstruction) • o If the tumor is larger than 5 cm you will likely need a mastectomy, but in recent years (depending on stage and other factors) patients who under neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be able to shrink the tumor to a size that could be amenable to a lumpectomy.  Your doctor will discuss if this is an option for you.  Patients with a large amount of DCIS should consider a mastectomy.o If your breast is very small and conserving your breast would potentially leave you disfigured and/or with very little breast tissue, you may be advised to have a mastectomy for a more cosmetically pleasing result.o You may need to consider a mastectomy if you cannot have radiation (had prior breast radiation from a previous lumpectomy, you have a connective tissue disorder like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, are pregnant, or you don’t want to commit to radiation treatment).o A mastectomy will likely be recommended if you have had multiple surgeries to remove the tumor with lumpectomy but your margins remain positive (the surgeon has not been able to obtain clear margins).At the end of the day, if you feel a mastectomy would give, you’re a better peace of mind than a lumpectomy, have an open and honest discussion with your surgeon about your decision.