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Definition

Mastectomy is the surgical removal of the breast for the treatment or prevention of breast cancer.

Purpose

Mastectomy is performed as a surgical treatment for breast cancer. The severity of a breast cancer is evaluated according to a complex system called staging. This takes into account the size of the tumor and whether it has spread to the lymph nodes, adjacent tissues, and/or distant parts of the body. A mastectomy is usually the recommended surgery for more advanced breast cancers. Women with earlier stage breast cancers, who might also have breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy), may choose to have a mastectomy. In the United States, approximately 50,000 women a year undergo mastectomy.