What Will My Breasts Look Like After a Lumpectomy?

Breast-conserving surgery, also known as lumpectomy or partial mastectomy, is an operation to remove the cancer but not the breast itself. Most patients who choose lumpectomy will also be treated with radiation therapy to minimize the chance of recurrence of the cancer in the breast. The photos below show the breasts of some typical patients who underwent lumpectomy and radiation therapy for treatment of their cancer at Norris Cotton Cancer Center.

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Patient age: 37 Description: Six months after right breast lumpectomy and whole breast radiation therapy for invasive cancer.
Patient age: 45 Description: One year after left breast lumpectomy and whole breast radiation therapy for invasive cancer. The incision was in the left upper inner breast.
Patient age: 50 Description: One year after right breast lumpectomy and whole breast radiation therapy for invasive cancer.
Patient age: 56 Description: One year after left breast lumpectomy and whole breast radiation therapy for ductal carcinoma in situ.
Patient age: 59 Description: Six months after right breast lumpectomy and whole breast radiation therapy for infiltrating ductal carcinoma. The incision was on the upper edge of the areola.
Patient age: 60 Description: One year after left breast lumpectomy and whole breast radiation therapy for invasive cancer.
Patient age: 64 Description: Six months after right breast lumpectomy and whole breast radiation therapy for invasive cancer.
Patient age: 65 Description: Two years after right breast lumpectomy and whole breast radiation therapy for invasive cancer. Some skin needed to be removed because the tumor was very close to the skin.
Patient age: 70 Description: One year after left breast lumpectomy and whole breast radiation therapy for invasive cancer. The incision was on the upper border of the areola.