Questions to Ask Your Doctor about Breast Cancer Surgery
Surgery combined with other treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, is the most common treatment for breast cancer. The type of surgery that is performed depends on a number of factors, including the stage of the disease. Types of surgical procedures used to treat breast cancer include lumpectomy and mastectomy (e.g., modified radical mastectomy, simple [total] mastectomy, radical mastectomy, partial mastectomy).
Following breast cancer surgery, some women choose to have breast reconstructive surgery. It is important to discuss this availability of this option with your physician while developing your overall treatment plan.
This section contains lists of questions to ask your doctor about breast cancer surgery. Print these pages, check the questions you would like answered, and take them with you to your doctor appointment. The more knowledge you have, the easier it is to make decisions about your breast cancer treatment.
- Are you board-certified?
- Do you specialize in breast cancer surgery?
- What type of surgical procedure will be performed to treat my breast cancer? Why do you recommend this type of surgery?
- About how many times have you performed this procedure?
- Do you recommend that I have an axillary lymph node dissection? Why or why not?
- What are the benefits and risks associated with axillary node dissection?
- Will I have breast reconstruction surgery following the procedure? If so, when will this surgery take place?
- What tests will I need prior to surgery?
- How should I prepare for the procedure?
- What type of anesthesia will be used? How long will the procedure take?
- Might I require a blood transfusion during surgery?
- What will be the course of action if you discover during surgery that my cancer is more extensive than previously thought?
- What types of complications may develop during surgery?
- Will I be admitted to the hospital after surgery? If so, how long will I be in the hospital?
- What can I expect following the procedure? How will my pain be managed?
- Will I need to have a surgical drain? How do I care for this drain and when will it be removed?
- How will my breasts look and feel after surgery? Can I expect normal sensation to return?
- What will my scar look like?
- Who should I contact if I have questions or experience complications after the procedure? Telephone number to call:
- When can I resume normal daily activities following surgery?
- How often will my condition be monitored after surgery to treat breast cancer?
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