When should women have a lumpectomy?

Wideexcisionofcancer: All masses/ calcifications on physical exam or on mammogram should be biopsied using minimally invasive techniques -needles -aspiration or core) . If it needs to be totally excised the word is excisional biopsy ---- lumpectomy is the same-- reserved for the same procedure involving cancers --( i know a play on words) but implies removal of the mass and margins.

Excision of lump: A lumpectomy is a lay term for removal of a lump. As a surgical procedure, it should only come after a diagnosis is established. This can and should almost always be accomplished via a needle biopsy which can be performed by a breast surgeon in an office setting. For cancer treatment, lumpectomy (+xrt) is equal to mastectomy and is an option when clear margins are gotten with good cosmesis.

See your doctor: Any breast mass needs evaluation by a doctor. Tests such as a mammogram or an ultrasound may be needed. The mass may need to be removed, which would be called a lumpectomy. However, not all breast masses are best treated by lumpectomy. Your doctor will give you advice about the treatment options that are suitable to your case.