Breast Cancer and Endocrine Surgery

Benign Breast Disease

Benign breast conditions are breast changes that are not cancerous but are very common and can be found in most women. In fact, most breast changes that are biopsied turn out to be benign. Unlike breast cancer, benign breast diseases are not life threatening although some benign breast diseases put you at a higher risk of developing breast cancer in the future.  These conditions are cysts, fibroadenomas, fibrocystic breast condition, phyllodes tumors, atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), atypical ductal dysplasia (ALD), papilloma, mastitis, radical scars, sclerosing adenosis, and gynecomastia.

Breast Cancer

Most women with breast cancer have some type of surgery as part of their treatment. Depending on the situation, surgery may be done for different reasons. For example, surgery may be done to:

• Remove as much of the cancer as possible (breast-conserving surgery or mastectomy)
• Find out whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm (sentinel lymph node biopsy or axillary lymph node dissection)
• Restore the breast’s shape after the cancer is removed (breast reconstruction)
• Relieve symptoms of advanced cancer

There are two main types of surgery to remove breast cancer:

• Breast-conserving surgery (also called a lumpectomy, quadrantectomy, partial mastectomy, or segmental mastectomy) – in which only the part of the breast containing the cancer is removed. The goal is to remove the cancer as well as some surrounding normal tissue. How much of the breast is removed depends on the size and location of the tumor and other factors.
• Mastectomy – in which the entire breast is removed, including all of the breast tissue and sometimes other nearby tissues. There are several different types of mastectomies. Some women may also get a double mastectomy, in which both breasts are removed.

Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery

Thyroid Surgery is used to treat thyroid nodules, thyroid cancer, and hyperthyroidism. During this procedure, part or all of the thyroid gland is removed. During surgery, an incision is made in the skin. The muscle and other tissues are pulled aside to expose the thyroid gland.

Parathyroidectomy is surgery to remove parathyroid glands or parathyroid tumors. The parathyroid glands are right behind your thyroid gland in your neck. These glands help your body control calcium levels in the blood.