Mastectomy - Cancer Treatment

Mastectomy Overview

Medical tourism made it possible to patients worldwide to choose the best oncological treatment options for them according to their needs. Opting for effective oncologic centers worldwide for excellent cancer procedures patients are saying “No” to compromises, disappointments, and to the lack of trust and under-trained physicians.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. It is also the principal cause of death from cancer among women globally. Despite the high incidence rates, in Western countries, 89% of women diagnosed with breast cancer are still alive 5 years after their diagnosis, which is due to detection and treatment, according to an issue of the Cancer Journal for Clinicians. Thanks to innovative techniques and procedures in cancer treatments worldwide, there is still hope for patients diagnosed with cancer.

Types of Breast Cancer

• Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) is a non-invasive breast cancer where abnormal cells have been contained in the lining of the breast milk duct.
• Invasive Ductal Carcinoma means that abnormal cells that originated  in the lining of the breast milk duct have invaded surrounding tissue.
• Triple negative breast cancer means that the cells in the tumor are negative for progesterone, estrogen, and HER2/neu receptors.
• Inflammatory breast cancer is a less common form of breast cancer that may not develop a tumor and often affects the skin.
• Metastatic breast cancer is cancer that has spread beyond the breast, sometimes into the lungs, bones, or brain.

Common Breast Cancer Treatment Options

Breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts in the cells of the breast. A malignant tumor is a group of cancer cells that can grow into (invade) surrounding tissues or spread (metastasize) to distant areas of the body. The disease occurs almost entirely in women, but men can get it, too.

The main types of treatment for breast cancer are:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Hormone therapy
• Targeted therapy
• Bone-directed therapy

Mastectomy Procedure

Mastectomy is surgery to remove all breast tissue from a breast as a way to treat or prevent breast cancer. For those with early-stage breast cancer, mastectomy may be one treatment option. The surgeon removes all of the breast tissue (and in most cases, but not all, the nipple and areola are also removed). The lining of the chest muscles may also be removed.

Breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy), in which only the tumor is removed from the breast, may be another option.

Best Candidates for Mastectomy suffer from:

• Early stage breast cancer
• Ductal Carcinoma In Situ
• Lobular breast cancer
• Lumpectomy
• Prophylactic mastectomy for high risk

Benefits of Mastectomy

• Can be life-saving for women with early stage breast cancer and mutations in their BRCA genes
• Radiation therapy may be avoided for early-stage breast cancer
• Cuts long-term risks of dying in half for breast cancer patients with certain genetic mutations
• Reduces the risks of radiation
• Is the best treatment for larger breast tumors

Cost of Mastectomy

There is no set price for double mastectomy and implant-based reconstruction.  Because these procedures are normally covered by insurance, there is no set price from surgeons.  The cost will vary by regions as well as surgeons.  without insurance, you have to pay for hospital cost, anesthesia fee, implant cost, breast surgeon and plastic surgeon's fee. For patients not covered by health insurance, the average price for a mastectomy typically ranges between $15,000 USD and $55,000 USD in countries like USA, Canada or Australia, not including breast reconstruction.

Many patients opt for medical tourism to find the best cancer treatment at affordable prices. Asia and Eastern Europe are main destination for breast cancer treatment. For example, in India Mastectomy and Breast Reconstruction Package is between $4,500 USD and $6,500 USD, and Breast Conserving Surgery costs between $1,000 USD and $2,000 USD, while in Poland, Breast Reconstruction Surgery with Tissue Expander is around $2,000 USD

Choosing the right treatment for breast cancer

Deciding between mastectomy and lumpectomy can be difficult. Both procedures are equally effective for preventing a recurrence of breast cancer. But lumpectomy isn't an option for everyone with breast cancer, and others prefer to undergo a mastectomy.

Newer mastectomy techniques can preserve breast skin and allow for a more natural breast appearance following the procedure. This is also known as skin-sparing mastectomy. Surgery to restore shape to your breast — called breast reconstruction — may be done at the same time as your mastectomy or during a second operation at a later date.