Women suffering from breast cancer may need to go through a procedure called lumpectomy, also known as re-excision, biopsy, or wedge resection.  The procedure is a common breast cancer treatment that involves the removal of the lump, which is the suspected cancerous tumor.  Technically, a lumpectomy is considered a partial mastectomy, as it part of the breast tissue is removed along with the lump.  The amount of breast tissue removed depends on the exact procedure.  For example, a quadrantectomy, another type of partial mastectomy, removes approximately a quarter of the breast.

Lumpectomy is a breast cancer treatment preferred by some women due to its ability to conserve or preserve the breast.  As such, the procedure is generally followed with a reconstruction of the breast by a plastic surgeon.  To rid the body of potential cancer cells that would usually be removed by a mastectomy, the procedure is usually followed with 5 to 7 weeks of radiation therapy.  Even so, between 6 to 13 percent of women have a recurrence of breast cancer in the same breast.

There are a number of risks associated with a lumpectomy, as with all other breast cancer treatments.  The procedure may cause some numbness and loss of sensation in the breast.  The sensation returns most of the time, either partially or fully.  Furthermore, the procedure may cause a physical inequality between the two breasts.  As one breast has undergone surgery, it may swell or appear smaller due to the removed tissue.

During the procedure, a doctor cleans the breast, chest, and upper arm.  The surgeon than makes an incision and removes the tumor and marginal surrounding tissue, while making an effort to preserve the breast tissue as much as possible.  Additionally, the surgeon may choose to remove a sample (or the entirety) of axillary lymph nodes to be tested for cancerous cells (staging).  The surgeon may use sentinel node biopsy or axillary lymph node sampling to sample or remove the lymph nodes.

When a lumpectomy is performed as breast cancer treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a lymph node biopsy and radiation therapy may follow.  Conversely, for invasive ductal carcinoma, chemotherapy is usually recommended.  The effectiveness of the procedure is dependent on the location, size, and severity of the lump. 

As an effective breast cancer treatment, lumpdectomy may save the patient's breast while properly isolating and removing the dangerous cancer cells from the body.