Wide local excision (lumpectomy)
Wide local excision — also called a lumpectomy — removes the cancer while keeping the rest of the breast intact. For most early breast cancers, it offers the same long-term survival as mastectomy — and at Breastory, oncoplastic techniques mean the cosmetic result is protected as standard.
Small to moderate tumours where breast conservation is feasible.
Read moreMastectomy
Mastectomy removes the whole breast. At Breastory, it is almost always discussed alongside reconstruction from the first consultation — the decision about whether, when, and how is yours to make with the full picture in front of you.
Larger tumours, multifocal disease, or risk-reducing surgery in BRCA gene carriers.
Read moreSentinel lymph node biopsy
Sentinel lymph node biopsy checks whether breast cancer has reached the lymph nodes — sampling only the first one to four nodes the breast drains into, through a small armpit incision under the same anaesthetic as your breast operation.
Most early-stage cancers, performed alongside breast surgery.
Read moreAxillary clearance
Axillary clearance removes lymph nodes from the armpit when breast cancer has spread beyond the sentinel nodes — complementing your breast operation under the same anaesthetic, with careful attention to arm function and lymphoedema risk.
When cancer has spread beyond the sentinel nodes, planned with care for arm function and lymphoedema risk.
Read moreContralateral risk-reducing mastectomy
Contralateral risk-reducing mastectomy removes the unaffected breast at the same time as cancer surgery for women at high inherited or family-history risk — a major decision discussed with genetics input, alternatives to surgery, and reconstruction planning from the outset.
High inherited or family-history risk, discussed with genetics input and reconstruction options.
Read moreImpalpable lesion localisation (Magseed, wire, LOCalizer)
Impalpable lesion localisation marks a cancer seen only on scan — using a Magseed, wire, or LOCalizer device placed before surgery so the surgeon can remove the correct area through a small, accurately targeted incision.
Cancers seen only on imaging that need Magseed, wire, or LOCalizer targeting before excision.
Read moreRe-excision for involved margins
Re-excision is a second breast operation when pathology shows cancer cells at or close to the edge of tissue removed at wide local excision — taking a further margin of surrounding breast tissue under the same anaesthetic plan as your original surgery.
After wide local excision when pathology shows close or involved margins.
Read moreRisk-reducing mastectomy
Risk-reducing mastectomy removes breast tissue to substantially lower lifetime breast cancer risk for women with a confirmed high-risk gene mutation or family history meeting NICE criteria — always planned with genetics input and reconstruction options from the first consultation.
Confirmed high-risk gene mutation or family history meeting NICE criteria.
Read moreTherapeutic mammoplasty (oncoplastic surgery)
Therapeutic mammoplasty removes a breast cancer through an oncoplastic reduction pattern — reshaping the breast at the same operation so a larger tumour can be treated while keeping the breast, often with matching surgery on the other side for symmetry.
Larger tumours where breast conservation is still possible with oncoplastic reshaping.
Read moreReconstruction
Reconstruction is planned from the first consultation
Whether you're considering immediate or delayed reconstruction, implant-based or autologous, the plan is shaped together with the cancer operation rather than as a separate decision afterwards.
Reconstruction options