Back to homepage
MyChart

Breast Cancer Procedures

breast cancer treatment, mastectomy, breast reconstruction, lymph node removal

Women diagnosed with breast cancer have more than one treatment option. At Saint Alphonsus, our multidisciplinary breast care team works together to create a personalized care plan based on each woman’s diagnosis, health history, and personal preferences.

All treatment decisions are reviewed together by specialists, reducing the need for multiple appointments and ensuring clear, consistent information. A Breast Nurse Navigator guides patients through every step of care.

Breast conservation surgery, also known as a lumpectomy, removes the breast tumor while preserving most of the breast. For many women, this is the preferred treatment option.

Benefits of breast conservation surgery include:

  • Less physical impact than full breast removal
  • Equivalent long term survival compared to mastectomy
  • Positive cosmetic outcomes for most patients

Not all women are candidates for breast conservation, and some choose mastectomy for personal reasons. Our care team provides clear information so each woman can make the right choice for her situation.

Surgical Margins After Lumpectomy

During surgery, doctors remove:

  • The cancerous tumor
  • A small area of healthy tissue around it, called the margin

If cancer cells are found at the edge of the tissue, a second surgery may be needed to ensure all cancer is removed. Most women still achieve excellent cosmetic results, with survival rates equal to mastectomy.

A mastectomy removes the entire breast and may be recommended when breast conservation is not an option. Some women also choose mastectomy for personal or medical reasons.

Breast reconstruction options are available, including:

  • Immediate reconstruction, done at the same time as mastectomy
  • Delayed reconstruction, done later if health conditions require waiting

Your care team will discuss reconstruction options early to support planning and recovery.

 

Reconstructive surgery restores the appearance or function of an area affected by surgery, injury, or illness. This may include breast reconstruction or repair of other body areas.

At Saint Alphonsus, our Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon offers a number of different types of reconstructive surgeries that can help improve the problem, whatever it may be.

Linsey Etherington, MD Linsey Etherington, MD is a Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon who has completed advanced training in the latest plastic surgery techniques. This highly skilled surgeon provides leading edge expertise in plastic and reconstructive surgery, offering a wide range of services including:

  • Breast surgery and breast reconstruction
  • Facial reconstruction
  • Chest, trunk, and limb reconstruction
  • Wound care and skin repair
  • Flap surgery

Reconstruction can be performed immediately or at a later time, depending on your treatment plan.

Breast Reconstruction

Breast reconstruction can help restore the look and feel of the breast after removal. For many women this is a very important option. At Saint Alphonsus Women's Specialty Care Center, Dr. Etherington offers immediate breast reconstruction (a procedure done at the same time as breast removal surgery) or delayed reconstruction (done at a later date). Reconstruction can be performed immediately or at a later time, depending on your treatment plan. If you are interested in this option you will need to discuss your options with both Dr. Etherington, your breast surgeon, and your oncologist in advance.

Breast Reduction Surgery

Also known as reduction mammoplasty, breast reduction surgery removes excess breast fat, glandular tissue and skin to achieve a breast size in proportion with your body and to alleviate the discomfort associated with overly large breasts. Most women who get breast reduction are very satisfied with the results. Men with conditions such as gynecomastia (in which male breasts are abnormally enlarged) may also get breast reduction.

Trunk and Extremity Reconstruction

This procedure is performed to reconstruct an area of the chest wall, to cover a defect of the abdomen created by injury or surgical resection, or to reconstruct complex pressure wounds. Reconstructive techniques and strategies vary greatly depending on whether we are covering spinal implants for neurosurgery patients or restoring the ability to walk to a trauma victim.

Wound Care

For individuals who have been severely burned or cut, skin grafts or other reconstructive techniques are available.

Flap Surgery

Flap reconstruction surgery is a procedure that involves moving healthy, live tissue from one location of the body to another, often to areas that have lost skin, fat, muscle movement, and/or skeletal support. Flap surgery can be used for procedures such as breast reconstruction or trunk and extremity reconstruction. It may also be used to augment facial/nasal reconstruction.

For more information, or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Etherington, call 208-302-2200.

In some cases, chemotherapy is given before surgery. This approach is called neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Chemotherapy before surgery may:

  • Shrink tumors before surgery
  • Allow more breast tissue to be preserved
  • Improve cosmetic outcomes after lumpectomy

This treatment approach has helped many women avoid mastectomy.

Radiation Therapy is often recommended after lumpectomy to eliminate remaining cancer cells and reduce the risk of recurrence.

Standard radiation treatment:

  • Typically lasts 6–8 weeks
  • Is painless and takes only a few minutes per session

Short Course Radiation Option

Some women qualify for partial breast radiation, which:

  • Treats only the affected area
  • Can be completed in just 5 days

The most common side effect is mild skin redness. Hair loss and nausea are uncommon with breast radiation.

Lymph nodes filter harmful cells and are often the first place breast cancer spreads.

Sentinel Node Biopsy

Instead of removing all lymph nodes, doctors:

  • Remove only the sentinel node, the first node cancer would reach
  • Examine it for cancer cells

If the sentinel node is cancer free, no additional nodes are removed.

Benefits include:

  • Faster recovery
  • Lower risk of lymphedema (arm swelling)
  • Accurate cancer staging