Removing as much as possible of the mass of the malignant tumor is the basis of further treatment and determines the prognosis of this disease.
Although the tumor and its offshoots must be completely removed, it is not always necessary to completely remove the mammary gland.
Depending on the size of the tumor, the size of the breast, the location of the tumor, the possible presence of other tumors, the type of tumor and the preferences of the patient, the following types of resection can occur:
- a tumorectomy: the removal of the tumor with a certain safety margin
- a segmentectomy: the removal of a segment of the breast
- a mastectomy: the complete removal of the mammary gland
You will find more information about these procedures on the relevant pages.
This can be combined with a sentinel gland biopsy of the axillary glands or a partial surgical removal of the axillary glands.
If you would like to have some more specialized information about how we approach breast surgery in general, you can read about the "3-step principle".