What is Breast-conserving surgery?

Breast-conserving surgery refers to an operation that aims to remove breast cancer while avoiding a mastectomy. Other terms for this operation include: lumpectomy, wide local excision, segmental resection, tylectomy, and quadrantectomy. BCS has been increasingly accepted as an alternative to mastectomy in specific patients, as it provides tumor removal while maintaining an acceptable cosmetic outcome. This page reviews the history of this operation, important considerations in decision making and patient selection, and the emerging field of oncoplastic breast conservation surgery.