A Mastectomy is often recommended for those with early-stage breast cancer or those who are deemed to be most at risk of developing the condition. 

Common instances where a Mastectomy may be advised:

• Cancer is covering a large area of the breast.
• Cancer has spread throughout the breast and isn’t contained in one area.
• There are two or more tumours in separate areas of the breast.
• Previous radiation treatment has taken place but the breast cancer has reoccurred.
• The patient is pregnant and any radiation would be too high risk.
• The patient has previously undergone a Lumpectomy but cancer is still present and there is concern of it spreading.
• The patient carries a gene mutation which means there is a high risk that they develop a second cancer in the breast.
• The breast is full of pre-cancerous cells (abnormal cells with the possibility of becoming cancerous).

Some women have a high risk of developing breast cancer, this may be due to many factors including:

• Age
• Weight
• Contraceptive pill
• Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
• Being inactive
• Family history or inherited genes (e.g. BRCA1 or BRCA2)
• Ionising radiation from X-Rays and radiotherapy
• Diabetes
• Dense breast tissue
• Benign breast disease

Women at high risk of developing breast cancer may choose to undergo a Mastectomy even when there is no sign of cancer. 

At New Victoria Hospital our renowned Breast Surgeons are experts in performing the Mastectomy procedure. Supported by a specialist team of nurses and physiotherapists, and with access to a state of the art imaging suite, they make sure every breast patient receives the support they need from initial diagnosis to aftercare.

Upon arrival at our hospital every patient is made to feel at ease in a friendly and comfortable environment. Prior to surgery they are given the opportunity to discuss the operation with their Consultant and ask any questions they may have to better understand the procedure and what to expect.

There are a number of techniques that may be used during a Mastectomy.

These include:

• Total Mastectomy - removal of the entire breast, including the breast tissue, areola and nipple. 
• Skin-sparing Mastectomy - removal of all breast tissue, nipple and areola but not the breast skin. Breast reconstruction can be performed immediately after the Mastectomy.This option may not be suitable for larger tumours. 
• Nipple-sparing Mastectomy - removal of only breast tissue, sparing the skin, nipple and areola. Breast reconstruction can be performed immediately after the Mastectomy. 

Some of the lymph nodes around the breast will be tested for cancer during the Mastectomy to determine whether further treatment is required. There are a number of techniques for this including:

• Axillary Node Dissection - removal of a number of lymph nodes from the armpit on the side of the tumour. 
• Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy - Removal of the first few lymph nodes into which a tumour drains. These are then tested for cancer.