[Breast cancer surgery]

Abstract

Breast cancer surgery has gone through considerable modifications: lumpectomy and irradiation is now the treatment of choice for small tumors. Such conservatrice treatments can also be proposed in case of larger tumors, but one should keep in mind that they should leave a normal appearing breast, with no operative sequellae: breast remodelling is thus often necessary during the initial operative procedure. As more and more lesions are discovered by screening mammography, preoperative localization and rigorous surgical technique are required for proper diagnostic and treatment of such non palpable tumors. When a mastectomy is indicated, breast reconstruction can be systematically proposed, with no risk of interfering with follow-up: the development of breast implants, combined with continuous refinement of myocutaneous flaps, now allow a wide range of surgical techniques and predictable results, while the delay between mastectomy and breast reconstruction has been considerably reduced.