You may have detected a small lump in your breast that wasn’t there last month. Or your doctor may be concerned about a suspicious spot on your mammogram. Or you may have been told you need breast surgery for breast cancer and are looking for the right surgeon.
At Grants Pass Surgical Associates, your wellbeing is our first priority. We help you cope with the stress and fear you are feeling with accurate diagnosis and supportive care.
Comprehensive breast evaluation
First, we want you to know that being sent to a surgeon does not mean you have cancer. Non-cancerous breast conditions are very common and don’t require treatment. Once we have done a thorough exam, we will provide you with our diagnosis and all the information you need to understand it.
Expert cancer treatment
Should we detect cancer, we will work with you and your other doctors to determine the best treatment options for you. Surgery is the most common first step in treatment and our surgeons are highly trained in both surgical oncology (cancer-related surgery) and breast reconstruction.
Breast procedures we perform routinely
- Surgical biopsy: A biopsy is the only way to know for sure if you have breast cancer. It involves removing and examining part or all of a suspicious cyst or tumor in the breast tissue. A tissue sample can be suctioned out through a needle (which may be done without anesthesia) or surgically removed through a small incision. Some women decide to start with a surgical biopsy and, if cancer is detected, have it removed at the same time.
- Lumpectomy: In this procedure, only the breast tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue is removed, conserving as much of the breast as possible.
- Mastectomy: This surgery involves the removal of all breast tissue, which we can do, in most cases, without removing the muscles under the breast.
- Axillary lymph node dissection: Removing affected lymph nodes may be necessary if cancer has spread outside the milk ducts of the breast. Lymph nodes may be removed at the same time as a lumpectomy or mastectomy.
- Sentinal lymph node dissection: In some cases, a less invasive procedure can be used to remove the lymph node closest to the area of breast that contains the cancer. This node is considered the first to filter fluid away from the affected area. If this node is clean, it’s likely other lymph nodes will not be cancerous. This is a procedure that should only be done by a surgeon with significant experience performing this technique. Our surgeons are well-trained in this area and will offer the treatment, when appropriate.
- Breast reconstruction surgery: When you’ve had a full or partial mastectomy, you will have the choice of having your breast reconstructed to look like your natural breast. We perform breast reconstruction using an artificial implant, tissue from another part of your body or a combination of both.
