As the region's only triple-accredited breast cancer center, our promise to you is world-class care delivered with deep compassion. Our experts are physicians and researchers who relentlessly pursue the best and latest treatments for your breast cancer, offering you hope for your diagnosis.
To schedule an appointment, please call the UC Breast Cancer team at 513-585-UCCC.
Mastectomy
A mastectomy is a surgery to remove the majority or all of the breast tissue from one or both breasts. This surgery is used to treat or prevent breast cancer. There are many types of mastectomies that can be performed depending on your cancer.
Our Capabilities
The UC Comprehensive Breast Cancer Center is nationally recognized for quality care. We are one of just 21 centers nationally and the only one regionally to earn and maintain a triple accreditation.
Compassionate Healing Starts Here
Click below to learn more about where you can find compassionate care.
Help Along the Way
Answers to Your Lumpectomy Questions
A mastectomy is the alternative to breast conserving surgery. A mastectomy includes the removal of a majority of or all breast tissue. Reconstruction may be an option at the time of mastectomy or in the future. There are many different types of mastectomies that could be discussed prior to your surgery, depending on what may apply to your situation.
Simple mastectomy
Simple, or total mastectomy, includes removal of nearly all of the breast tissue, the nipple and areola, and much of the skin over the breast. The skin is closed leaving a long incision and the chest flat.
Skin-sparing mastectomy
This is a simple mastectomy that removes the breast tissue, the nipple and areola, but leaves most of the breast skin in place for immediate reconstruction.
Nipple-sparing (subcutaneous) mastectomy
A nipple sparing mastectomy may be performed in very select patients for treatment or to reduce the chances of developing breast cancer. During a nipple-sparing mastectomy, only the breast tissue is removed while keeping the skin and nipple/areola in place. This operation is performed with immediate reconstruction.
Modified radical mastectomy
A modified radical mastectomy is a combination of a simple mastectomy along with an axillary lymph node
dissection, or the removal of the lymph nodes located in your underarm.
Radical mastectomy
A radical mastectomy includes removal of the breast, chest muscles (pectoralis major and minor), and the majority of the lymph nodes under the arm (an axillary lymph node dissection). This operation is very rarely done and would only be considered if cancer involves the muscles of the chest.
Because most of the breast tissue is removed, there is a very low risk of cancer recurrence in the breast after a mastectomy.
Little to no breast imaging is required after a mastectomy.
Patients are less likely to need radiation treatments.
Mastectomy with or without reconstruction may greatly change the appearance of the breast and may affect body image.
Surgery usually requires at least an overnight hospital stay, which may be longer if reconstruction is performed.
Recovery time is often longer than with breast conservation surgery.
Your surgeon will inform you if you need to see an anesthesiologist prior to your surgery. A surgery office staff member will assist you in arranging these appointments.
Insurance approval will be done by the billing offices. Precertification is done according to your insurance requirements.
You will be given discharge instructions before leaving the hospital the day of your procedure. Your surgeon’s office will likely review some of the post-op instructions with you before your surgery and will have specific instructions or handouts for you regarding your particular procedure.
Why UC Health
Experience and Expertise
Cincinnati’s Breast Cancer Experts
At Cincinnati’s only adult academic health system, we offer the most advanced breast cancer care by combining subspecialized expertise with the very latest research findings. All of our medical and surgical oncologists are board certified.
Screening and Diagnostic Services
As the only American College of Radiology-approved breast imaging center and MRI-accredited center in the region, we offer an expert approach to screening and diagnostic services to minimize the risk for misdiagnosis and unnecessary testing.
Science-Driven Care
As part of UC Health, our comprehensive breast cancer team offers patients advanced care backed by the latest science delivered with deep compassion.
Clinical Trials and Research
The UC Cancer Center Breast Cancer Center participates in National Cancer Institute-sponsored cooperative group trials, select industry-sponsored studies and UC investigator-initiated clinical research studies to test promising new breast cancer therapies.
Partner with Us
Referring Physicians: Success and Provider Toolbox
We are committed to providing optimal care to your patient and open communication with you. We understand that as a referring physician, you need to be kept informed on your patient’s progress. That’s why we set up a toolbox to share detailed information about your patient’s health with you.
For referral information, call:
Contact Us
At UC Health, we lead the region in scientific discoveries and embrace a spirit of purpose – offering our patients and their families something beyond everyday healthcare. At UC Health, we offer hope.