Breast Surgery

Breast problems are very common.

Many breast problems are benign, and some of these may be treated surgically (by removing the problem).

The most concerning breast problem is, of course, cancer. Unfortunately, breast cancer is the most common cancer in women other than skin cancers. Breast cancer can also occur in men, but this is much less common because men have much less breast tissue and a lot less of the hormones that frequently stimulate the growth of breast cancers.

Breast cancer occurs most commonly in the milk gland tissue, or the milk duct tissue, of the breast. It may be noticed by the patient because of a change in the way the breast feels, a change in the skin of the breast, or a new discharge from the nipple. Very small, early breast cancers may be detected by x-ray (mammograms) before they are noticeable by the patient. Aggressive use of mammograms to screen for early breast cancer has actually resulted in a significant decrease in breast cancer deaths over the last twenty or thirty years, because many cancers were discovered while they could still be cured.

The treatment of breast cancer varies based on the size and nature of the cancer, whether or not it has spread, how far it has spread (this is the stage of the cancer), and the patient's age and physical condition. Many breast cancers are treated with chemotherapy and/or radiation. Some breast cancers do not require either of these types of treatment. Virtually all breast cancers will require some type of surgical treatment, however, since removal of the cancer itself is almost always beneficial to the patient. The nature and size of the operation varies, according to the individual characteristics of the cancer and the patient. We tailor surgical therapy to fit the problem.

Learn below how Albany Surgical takes a team approch to ensure from diganosis through treatment and beyond patients have cared for from all aspects.