Breast Surgery

At an early stage, breast cancer causes no symptoms. Symptoms usually appear when the tumor is large enough to be felt as a lump in the breast or when the cancer has spread to surrounding tissues. Other symptoms include swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpit, changes in the shape or size of the breast and secretion of fluid or blood from the nipple. The diagnosis of breast cancer includes a detailed physical examination and medical history, and the doctor may suggest mammography, ultrasound or a biopsy.

A lumpectomy is a breast-conserving surgery that removes the cancerous tumor and surrounding tissue while preserving the rest of the breast. It is preferred when the size of the tumor in relation to the breast allows it and the procedure is considered oncologically safe. It is important that the tumor is removed without dispersing its cells. Other breast-conserving options are segmental resection (quadrantectomy) and oncoplasty, in which the shape of the breast is restored with plastic surgery techniques. Dr. Konstantinidis and his surgical team aim to preserve the breast wherever possible.

A mastectomy is surgery to remove the breast. The choice between mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery is made by the surgeon together with the patient, depending on the type of cancer, the size of the tumor and the presence of lymph node involvement or distant metastases. Mastectomy can usually be avoided in 60-70% of cases. In a simple mastectomy, the mammary gland is removed with a strip of skin and the nipple, while a modified radical mastectomy also removes the areola and the axillary lymph nodes. Breast reconstruction can be carried out at the same time as the mastectomy or at a later stage.

A sentinel lymph node biopsy examines the sentinel lymph node, the first lymph node to which cancer cells would spread, or have spread. In invasive cancer, axillary lymph node dissection should be performed to stage the disease, determine further treatment and prevent local recurrences. Because this dissection is sometimes accompanied by morbidity of the arm on the same side, many surgeons prefer to examine the sentinel lymph node first and to proceed with axillary dissection if it is positive. The test is performed after a local injection of radioisotopes and is indicated only for small tumors.