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Surgery to the Breast: Mastectomy

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Book cover Breast Cancer Management for Surgeons

Abstract

In primary operable breast cancer, breast-conserving surgery with adjuvant whole breast radiotherapy provides excellent local control and is oncologically safe. However, in many patients a mastectomy will still be required in order to adequately treat the disease locally. Modern breast cancer surgery has witnessed a dramatic shift from radical (Halsted) amputating procedures to muscle-sparing mastectomies. Moreover, with the advent of breast reconstruction, mastectomy can be carried out as a skin- and/or nipple-sparing procedure, aiming at maintaining body image without compromising oncological integrity. Herein, the technical and anatomical considerations pertaining to all types of mastectomies are described, and the controversial aspects of conservative mastectomies mainly germane to oncological safety and skin flap and nipple survival are reviewed.

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Correspondence to Tibor Kovacs PhD, FRCS .

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Charalampoudis, P., Kovacs, T. (2018). Surgery to the Breast: Mastectomy. In: Wyld, L., Markopoulos, C., Leidenius, M., Senkus-Konefka, E. (eds) Breast Cancer Management for Surgeons. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56673-3_17

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-56673-3_17

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