Does a surgical oncologist perform a lumpectomy?

Yes, a surgical oncologist can perform a lumpectomy as part of breast cancer treatment. This specialist removes the abnormal area with a rim of surrounding breast tissue while aiming to preserve the rest of the breast. The operation is also called breast-conserving surgery or wide local excision.

The surgeon plans the operation using the location and extent of the abnormal tissue, breast imaging, and your overall treatment plan. Tissue removed during surgery goes to a pathology laboratory, where its edges, called margins, are examined for cancer cells. Lymph nodes under the arm may also be sampled when that information is needed to guide care.

Before the procedure, give the surgical team a complete list of medicines, supplements, allergies, and previous reactions to anaesthesia. Follow the specific instructions you receive about eating, drinking, and medicines on the day of surgery. Arrange transport home and practical help for the early recovery period. Keep the wound-care plan and contact details where you can easily find them.

Contact the surgical team promptly if the wound becomes increasingly red, hot, swollen, or starts draining pus, or if you develop a fever, worsening pain, persistent bleeding, or rapidly increasing breast swelling. Seek emergency help for difficulty breathing, chest pain, fainting, or sudden severe symptoms. Use the discharge instructions for the correct contact route, even outside normal clinic hours.

Ask how much tissue is expected to be removed, whether lymph-node surgery is planned, and how the breast may look afterward. Clarify when pathology results will be discussed and what could happen if cancer cells reach a margin. You can also ask whether radiation therapy is likely to follow, how soon normal activities may resume, and whom to contact about recovery concerns.