BREAST CONSERVING SURGERY

IN WHAT CASES IS "BREAST-CONSERVING SURGERY" RECOMMENDED IN BREAST CANCER?

Today, women diagnosed with breast cancer no longer undergo complete breast removal, as is customary in the past, if the disease is at the appropriate stage. In other words, it has been scientifically proven that adding radiotherapy to breast-conserving surgery achieves the same results as mastectomy, both in terms of disease recurrence and life expectancy. This improves women's postoperative "quality of life."

In what cases is breast-conserving surgery suitable for breast cancer? 1. Early-stage patients
2. Partially advanced patients whose tumors can be reduced with preoperative chemotherapy

Conditions that are not suitable for breast-conserving surgery:
1. Multicentric (widespread) disease in the breast
2. Widespread microcalcifications in the breast on mammography
3. Previous radiation therapy to the breast for another reason
4. Early pregnancy at the time of diagnosis
5. Failure to achieve a tumor-free area despite repeated tissue removals

Furthermore, when the tumor-to-breast ratio is not appropriate (in cases where the tumor is large and the breast is small), the aesthetic appearance of the remaining breast after surgery may also be considered a contraindication to this surgery.