High Risk Breast Conditions

Some benign (non-cancerous) breast conditions are associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer in the future. These conditions are diagnosed on a biopsy and often require surgery and follow-up monitoring over time (surveillance). Which breast conditions increase breast cancer risk? High risk breast lesions include: Atypical Hyperplasia In atypical hyperplasia, breast cells become […]

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a condition in which breast tissue cells become abnormal and multiply in an uncontrolled manner. These abnormal cells can invade into the surrounding normal tissues and may spread to other parts of the body.   Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. The risk of developing breast cancer by age […]

Different types of breast cancer

It is likely that you had a core biopsy or fine needle aspiration (FNA) before you were referred to Dr Lancashire. A core biopsy gives a surgeon some of the important information regarding what type of breast cancer you may have. A biopsy is only a small sample of tissue and will not give you […]

Breast Conserving Surgery

Surgical removal of a breast cancer can be performed in one of two ways: Breast conserving surgery (BCS), or Mastectomy Breast cancer surgery is tailored to the individual. Dr Lancashire will help guide you through your decision as to which operation will be the most suitable and appropriate for you. The term breast conserving surgery […]

Mastectomy

A mastectomy is removal of all breast tissue from the chest wall, for one (unilateral) or both (bilateral) breasts. Dr Lancashire performs several different types of mastectomy operations. The key difference between them is the amount of skin that is removed. Like all aspects of breast cancer surgery, the type of mastectomy performed depends on […]

Oncoplastic breast surgery

Breast conserving surgery does not always result in better cosmetic outcomes. Many studies have shown that over 30% of patients are unhappy with the cosmetic result of their breast conservation surgery. The term ‘oncoplastic breast surgery’ was coined in the 1980s. This kind of surgery involves using plastic surgery techniques to improve the cosmetic outcome […]

Axillary surgery

The ‘axilla’ is the medical term for the armpit. When a person is diagnosed with breast cancer, their surgeon will want to talk to them about surgery to the lymph nodes in the axilla. This is usually done in conjunction with a lumpectomy or a mastectomy, but occasionally may be done as a procedure on […]

Sentinel lymph node biopsy

The sentinel lymph node(s) are the first lymph nodes that the breast lymphatics drain into. If cancer cells have spread from a breast cancer, it is likely that they will travel through the sentinel node before moving through to other lymph nodes. The most common location for a sentinel lymph node to be located is […]

Axillary clearance

An axillary clearance or ‘axillary dissection’ is a procedure where a larger number of lymph nodes are removed from the axilla. This can vary from between five and forty lymph nodes. An axillary clearance may be performed if the sentinel lymph node is positive, or if the lymph nodes are known to be positive before […]

Prophylactic Mastectomy

The most common reason for having a mastectomy is to treat a breast cancer. This is called a ‘therapeutic’ mastectomy. You can read about the different types of mastectomies here. A ‘prophylactic’ or ‘risk reducing’ mastectomy is the removal of a ‘normal’ breast. If done at the same time as treatment of a breast cancer […]