Mastectomy recovery: What to expect after breast removal surgery
Mastectomy is the scientific term for the surgical removal of the breast. It is frequently used to treat and prevent breast cancer. It can be performed on just one side of the body or on both at the same time.
But how long does it take to recover from a mastectomy fully? How long will you have to stay in the hospital? And, will you ever really feel normal again?
Here are the answers to these and other...

Husband and wife face dual breast cancer diagnoses
Teresa and Billy Mayo have shared almost everything during their 46-year marriage. But the couple recently shared something they never anticipated...
Breast reconstruction options: What to know about DIEP flaps and tissue flaps
Navigating breast reconstruction options can be overwhelming. There are so many decisions to make. Will you have immediate or delayed reconstruction...
Reconstruction options for breast cancer survivors
Whether you have a lumpectomy or a type of mastectomy, your chest may be flattened, misshapen or asymmetrical after surgery. Breast reconstruction can recreate the look of natural breasts either by using implants or tissue from another part of the patient’s body.
We spoke with Rene Largo, M.D., to learn what patients with breast cancer should know about their reconstruction options.
There are multiple types of breast reconstruction...

Why I’m glad I chose MD Anderson for breast cancer treatment
With cancer treatment — as with life — you can only make decisions based on what you know at any given moment. But new information becomes...
HER2-positive breast cancer survivor: I believe in MD Anderson
Jennifer Smith didn’t come to MD Anderson first for her breast cancer treatment, but she wishes she had. After she’d undergone treatment at...
Breast cancer survivor grateful for personalized mastectomy and reconstruction decisions
Frances Arnoult had a double mastectomy, but she never had to see what she would have looked like without breasts. That’s because her MD Anderson...
Plastic surgeon: Why I wouldn’t work anyplace but MD Anderson
Working with breast cancer patients can be a challenge. Because while some are coming to us for the very first time for their treatment, others...
Reconstructive microsurgery: What patients should know
Sometimes our surgeons must perform life-altering surgeries to remove cancer. And, in many cases, cancer surgeries have the potential to dramatically...
How I found strength during breast cancer treatment
When I received a phone call about an abnormality discovered during my mammogram in December 2016, I didn’t think much of it. I was prone...