Breast Cancer Surgery

Boise

What is Breast Cancer Surgery?

Breast cancer surgery is the removal of cancer from breast tissue. There are several different types of breast cancer surgery, including:

  • Excisional or incisional biopsy
  • Lumpectomy
  • Simple mastectomy
  • Subcutaneous mastectomy
  • Partial mastectomy
  • Modified radical mastectomy
  • Nipple/subareolar duct exploration
  • Breast reconstruction
Breast Cancer | General Surgery
Breast Cancer | General Surgery

What Treatment is Recommended for Breast Cancer?

When it comes to breast cancer, the recommended treatment is usually a combination of surgery and additional "adjuvant therapy" that includes radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and/or hormonal therapy. The type of surgery required will be based on the stage of the tumor and its subtype. The surgical decision will also depend on genetic factors such as the inherited genes, BRCA1 or BRCA2. Treatment for breast cancer is not one-size-fits-all. It is customized to each patient.

What Happens During Breast Cancer Surgery?

Breast cancer surgery involves the removal of the tumor and an appropriate amount of surrounding tissue to ensure that all the cancer is removed. Generally, surgery will be either in the form of a lumpectomy or a mastectomy.

Lumpectomy

During a lumpectomy, the tumor itself is removed with a small amount of the surrounding tissue to ensure a cancer-free margin. With a lumpectomy, the patient can retain most of their breast. It is considered a breast-conserving procedure. Lumpectomy is the preferred procedure for women with newly diagnosed cancer and more minor, less-invasive tumors.

Mastectomy

A mastectomy is the surgical removal of the entire breast. If the tumor is significant in relation to the size of the breast, mastectomy may be the best way to ensure that all of the cancer is removed.

During the Actual Surgery

During surgery, Dr. Gay will make an incision in the breast to remove the tumor and the appropriate amount of surrounding tissue. If the procedure is a mastectomy, this removal usually includes breast tissue, the nipple, areola, and surrounding skin. The general surgeon will also remove lymph nodes closest to the tumor to avoid draining fluid into them. If cancer is detected in the lymph nodes, the surgeon will need to remove additional lymph nodes and require radiation therapy following surgery.

Once the removal of tissue is complete, the incision will be carefully closed. The surgeon pays particular attention to closure, focusing on the appearance of the patient's scar. They will use dissolvable stitches to minimize scarring.

If the procedure is a mastectomy and the patient has opted for reconstruction, the beginning of the reconstruction may begin during the initial surgery.

What is the Recovery Like After Breast Cancer Surgery?

Recovery from breast cancer surgery will depend on the extent of the procedure.

Recovery from Lumpectomy

Most people can resume their daily activities within 5-10 days following surgery. Side effects from lumpectomy can include fatigue and possible skin reactions to radiation therapy.

Recovery from Mastectomy

Recovery from a mastectomy can take a lot longer than that of a lumpectomy. The typical recovery time from a mastectomy is 3-4 weeks following surgery. During the recovery period, the patient may experience a feeling of being off-balance from the absence of the breast. Mastectomy patients may also experience pain in their neck and shoulder. If reconstruction is involved, the recovery time is closer to 6-8 weeks following surgery. Part of the recovery time will be adjusting to their new breast, and implants can be challenging to adjust to at times.

Recovery when Lymph Nodes Are Removed

When breast cancer has spread into the surrounding lymph nodes, leading to the necessity for lymph node removal, a patient may have other challenges during the recovery period. The patient may experience pain and limited movement of their shoulder or arm. They may also experience numbness in their upper arms and fluid build-up, or edema, in their arms and hands. When the lymph nodes are involved, the patient has an increased risk for infection, bleeding, and blood clots.

Why Choose Dr. Daniel Gay for Breast Cancer Surgery?

Dr. Daniel Gay is a general surgeon serving those in Boise and Meridian Idaho. He has extensive experience with breast cancer surgery, including all stages of the journey from biopsy through the primary surgical procedure. He and his staff believe in using compassionate treatment of their patients, which aligns with the values of his practice. You will always be treated with the utmost respect. Whenever possible, Dr. Gay will use the most minimally invasive process available. To schedule a consultation for breast cancer surgery, contact Dr. Gay's office.

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We Accept All Major Insurance Carriers:

Blue Cross is an accepted insurance at Dr. Daniel Gay, MD Regence is an accepted insurance at Dr. Daniel Gay, MD Select Health is an accepted insurance at Dr. Daniel Gay, MD Humana is an accepted insurance at Dr. Daniel Gay, MD Medicare is an accepted insurance at Dr. Daniel Gay, MD Medicaid is an accepted insurance at Dr. Daniel Gay, MD Tricare is an accepted insurance at Dr. Daniel Gay, MD Pacific Source is an accepted insurance at Dr. Daniel Gay, MD United Healthcare is an accepted insurance at Dr. Daniel Gay, MD Aetna is an accepted insurance at Dr. Daniel Gay, MD

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Testimonials

Patient Testimonials

reviews
(194)
Mike Barth
Dr Gay did an excellent job and is the best combination of being very experienced yet treats you like a friend… made me confident with the process and everything turned out exactly as expected or even better! Highest of recommendations from me!
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Eric Lewis
Dr. Gay made me feel as comfortable as possible with the surgery and gave great examples of what to expect. He was very thorough in my post-surgery appointment with instructions moving forward. Highly recommend!!
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Shelley M Vaden
Went for a consultation since my surgeon passed a few years ago,and Dr Gay was recommended by my family physician Dr Hugh Sterling. Was friendly,and to the point for procedures for my condition.
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brandon chissus
Dr Gay is very personable and my hernia operation was a complete success. Thank you.
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Kathy Barnes
Very pleasant office staff and a top notch doctor. Surgery went well and the recovery was easy. Highly recommend Dr.Gay
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Tamara Leininger
Absolutely one of the best doctors I have experienced. Surgery is never fun but Dr. Gay is so thorough, compassionate and skilled. I had a few things going on and am a bit of a complicated patient. Dr. Gay was very kind and really spent time with me going over things in detail. He got me fixed up and my recovery was great. Good Doctor makes for great recovery. Thank you Dr. Gay for just being awesome. 🤩
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Timo Alden
Very qualified and competent surgeon. Communicated well. And FYI he's a nice guy. I met face to face with him every time, not an assistant. I recommend him highly.
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Jen HenJones
Out of nowhere I developed a mass in my neck with unknown diagnosis due to how deep under the muscle of my neck/shoulders it was, we couldn't biopsy ahead of time to see what we were dealing with. Dr. Gay was referred and he was great. He put me and my husband at ease about the process, the ease of it due to his experience and expertise and was able to get me in for surgery in under a month which was a relief as I was nervous about the unknown as it could have been a lump of fat to a malignant tumor. Dr. Gay made the process easy and left a minimal scar. Thankfully it was not worst case scenario and followup was easy. He checked in with lab results 3 days later and answered all questions. I highly recommend him to anyone
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Dr. Daniel Gay, Member of the Independent Doctors of Idaho