Cancerwise

Losing a breast due to cancer treatment can mean different things to different people. It all depends on where you are in your life and how you perceive the removal of your breast.

Sometimes, it can trigger feelings of being “less than” — or anxiety about how its loss might affect intimate relationships. For others, it may trigger feelings of grief or sadness.

So, how do you navigate these and other body image issues that can arise after breast cancer surgery?

We recently explored this topic on MD Anderson’s Cancerwise podcast. Here are a few highlights from our discussion.

Physical changes may involve more than a scar

The first thing to know about breast surgery is that physical changes are to be expected, whether you have the entire breast removed (mastectomy) or just a part of the breast removed (segmental mastectomy, or lumpectomy). 

But when we talk about physical changes, we don’t just mean a scar. Surgery can also impact the size, shape, and appearance of the breast. There will also be changes related to sensation, even if you’re able to keep your nipple and/or areola.

That’s why we prefer to meet with patients before they start treatment, so we can understand where they are emotionally, and prepare them for the things they might not expect, such as range of motion limitations, drains and lymphedema.