LUMPECTOMY FOR BREAST CANCER

Today, many women will bypass a mastectomy for a lumpectomy followed by chemotherapy and/or radiation.

A recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that one in four (25%) of patients undergoing this therapy will undergo a second operation.

This creates a significant degree of anxiety along with many questions about the patients future – how deformed will it be? Did it spread?

There is a sincere sense of anxiety and stress associated with this. I also think a patients personality and sense of body image may come into play when making a decision on what therapy is best for her.