The nurse is developing a plan of care for a woman with breast cancer who is scheduled to undergo breast-conserving surgery. The nurse interprets this as which of the following?

Question

A) Removal of nipple and areolar area
B) Lump removal followed by radiation
C) Entire breast removal without lymph nodes
D) Axillary lymph node removal

Answer 1

B
Feedback:
Breast-conserving surgery is the wide local excision (or lumpectomy) of the tumor along with a 1-cm margin of normal tissue. A lumpectomy is often used for early-stage localized tumors and is followed by radiation to eradicate residual microscopic cancer cells. A simple mastectomy is the removal of all breast tissue, the nipple, and the areola. The axillary nodes and pectoral muscles are spared. A modified radical mastectomy involves removal of breast tissue, the axillary nodes, and some chest muscles, but not the pectoralis major, thus avoiding a concave anterior chest.