Breast Lump Excision

Breast lump excision | Surgery for non-cancerous lumps

Excision of a breast lump is a surgery that removes a lump or mass from the breast. This procedure can be done for a number of reasons, such as diagnosing or treating a benign (not cancerous) breast condition or looking into a lump or mass in the breast that looks suspicious.

The exact procedure will depend on how big the lump is, where it is, and what it is. The doctor will cut into the skin around the lump and take it out, along with a small amount of healthy tissue around it. After that, stitches will be used to close the cut. The removed tissue will be sent to a lab to find the cause of the lump.

If the lump is found to be harmless, it may not need any more treatment. If it turns out to be cancerous, however, you may need more treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation.

It’s important to remember that breast lumps are often harmless and don’t always mean you have cancer. If you are worried about a lump in your breast, you should talk to a doctor or nurse.

Why breast lump excision is performed?

Breast lump excision is done for a number of reasons, such as:

• To figure out what’s wrong with a breast lump or mass: Lumps or masses in the breast can either be benign (not cancerous) or malignant (cancerous). The cause of a breast lump can be found by looking at the removed tissue in a lab. This is called an excision.
• To treat a benign breast condition, a lump or mass in the breast may be removed if it is found to be harmless and is causing pain or other symptoms.
• To check out a suspicious lump or mass in the breast: During a breast exam or mammogram, if a lump or mass is found in the breast, it may be removed and examined to see if it is cancerous.
• To get rid of a breast lump or mass that is cancerous: If a lump or mass in the breast is found to be cancerous, it may be taken out as part of the treatment. This can be done along with other treatments, like chemotherapy or radiation.

If you are worried about lumps or masses in your breasts, you should talk to a doctor or nurse. They can tell you what to do next.

What are the benefits of Breast lump excision surgery?

Breast lump excision surgery, which is also called a breast biopsy, is a procedure in which a lump or suspicious area of breast tissue is cut out and sent to a lab for testing. There are a number of possible benefits to having a breast lump excision, such as:

1. Finding out if someone has breast cancer or ruling it out: The only way to know for sure if someone has breast cancer is to do a breast biopsy. A pathologist can tell if there is cancer by taking a small piece of breast tissue and testing it.
2. Giving information about what kind of breast cancer it is: If there is cancer, the biopsy can help find out what kind and how bad it is. This information can help doctors decide how to treat people.
3. Taking out the whole breast lump: During the biopsy, it may be possible to take out the whole breast lump, depending on how big it is and where it is. This can be helpful because it lets the surgeon take out all of the abnormal tissue, which may make it less likely that cancer will come back.
4. Relieving anxiety: While waiting for the results of a breast biopsy, many people feel a lot of anxiety. Having a biopsy and getting a diagnosis can give people a sense of relief and let them move on with treatment if that’s what they need to do.
5. Improving the look of the breast: Sometimes a breast biopsy can make the breast look better. For instance, if the breast lump is big or looks bad, removing it might make the breast look better.

What’s next after Breast lump excision?

After a breast lump removal (biopsy), the next steps will depend on the procedure results. If the biopsy shows that there is cancer, more tests may be needed to find out how far along the cancer is and what the best treatment is. This can include blood tests, other diagnostic tests, and imaging tests like a mammogram, ultrasound, or MRI.

If the biopsy shows that the breast lump is benign (not cancerous), you may not need to do anything else. However, your doctor may suggest that you return for follow-up visits to check for new lumps or changes in the breast tissue.

If the breast lump was entirely removed during the biopsy, you may not need more treatment. But if only a small piece of the breast lump was taken out, more surgery may be needed to take out the rest of the tissue. This will depend on how big the lump is and what the biopsy shows.

It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about the results of your breast biopsy and the next steps they think you should take. They will be able to explain your choices and help you make a decision about the care that is best for you.

Final Thoughts

Dr Mansi Chowhan is a renowned surgical oncologist who has worked in the field for over 11 years. During her postgraduate studies, she was honored with a gold medal for her outstanding performance. She specializes in breast oncoplastic surgery, head and neck surgery, and reconstructive operations, making her a highly qualified surgeon. She has practiced medicine for over 11 years and has worked at some of the most prestigious hospitals in the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).