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Risks

By Mayo Clinic staff

Lumpectomy is a surgical procedure that carries a risk of side effects, including:

  • Bleeding
  • Infection
  • Pain
  • Temporary swelling
  • Tenderness
  • Formation of hard scar tissue at the surgical site
  • Numbness, particularly under your arm from lymph node removal, that may be lasting
  • Change in the shape of the breast, particularly if a large portion is removed
References
  1. Breast cancer treatment (PDQ). National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/breast/healthprofessional/AllPages. Accessed Aug. 18, 2011.
  2. Iglehart JD, et al. Diseases of the breast. In: Townsend CM Jr, et al. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery: The Biological Basis of Modern Surgical Practice. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1565/0.html. Accessed Aug. 18, 2011.
  3. Surgery for breast cancer. American Cancer Society. http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/DetailedGuide/breast-cancer-treating-surgery. Accessed Aug. 18, 2011.
  4. Pruthi S (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Sept. 16, 2011.
MY00833 Oct. 28, 2011

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