Surgical Margins

After my breast biopsy showed cancer, my surgeon has agreed to make a Lumpectomy to see if he could get clear margins around my tumor. He explained the importance of getting all the cancer, but all I focused on was keeping my chest.

When you are faced with the decision between a Lumpectomy and mastectomy, can feel pretty scared and confused. Understand more about surgical margins helps a better handle on where can get closer to a cure.

In order to understand more about surgical margins and treatment decisions, I looked at what the experts say in UpToDate--a trusted electronic reference that is used by many Oncologists who treat patients with breast cancer.

If you're facing this decision –-Lumpectomy or mastectomy –-you need to know how the status of your surgical margins enters the total formula. Start by reading this excerpt to see why surgical margins are important to you.

If you've had a biopsy, the tumor is small (under 4 '') and your surgical margins are clear, and then a Lumpectomy may be all the breast surgery that you need (although, again, you can opt for a mastectomy). If you choose a breast Lumpectomy, radiation therapy is offered to prevent cancer.

Your lymph nodes must also be checked; If you are free of the disease, you probably do not need radiation treatment in that position after surgery. If you are unclear, the radiation oncologist may recommend. After completing radiation, if necessary, and if you have cancer estrogen sensitive, then you would take hormonal therapy for 5 years to avoid repeated elsewhere in the body.

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