How long does breast cancer surgery take?

Written by Cui Yu Rong
Breast Surgery
Updated on January 07, 2025
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There are many types of surgery for breast cancer clinically, and the most commonly used currently are the modified radical mastectomy and breast-conserving surgery for breast cancer. The timing of the breast cancer surgery, the specific surgical method, anesthesia method, the proficiency of the surgeon, and whether rapid pathology is needed during surgery are all factors that affect the duration; therefore, the surgery time is not fixed. In most cases, the modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer takes about two hours. If rapid pathology is needed during the surgery, the time may also be extended accordingly, so it needs to be determined based on the specific situation.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
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Early-stage breast cancer symptoms

Early-stage breast cancer may exhibit several symptoms. The first is the presence of breast lumps. The second symptom might be nipple discharge, which can be serous, watery, or milky in nature. The third symptom might involve changes in the skin over the breast tumor, including skin adhesion, such as dimpling, engorgement of superficial veins, skin reddening, localized increase in temperature, and an orange-peel texture. The fourth symptom includes abnormalities of the nipple and areola, potentially featuring nipple retraction, erosion of the nipple, thickening of the nipple epithelium, and reddening. The fifth symptom could be breast pain.

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Written by Gong Chun
Oncology
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Causes of Breast Cancer

The causes of breast cancer are not yet fully understood, but research has shown that the onset of breast cancer follows certain patterns and is related to various risk factors: The first is the age of onset for female breast cancer, which is generally low from ages zero to twenty-four, gradually increases after twenty-five, and peaks from fifty to fifty-four years old. So, the first factor is related to age; The second factor is genetics. If a mother or sister has breast cancer, then the individual’s likelihood of developing breast cancer may be higher, making family history a relevant factor; The third point involves risk factors related to the breast, including early menarche (before the age of twelve), late menopause (after the age of fifty-five), being unmarried, nulliparous, late marriage, and not breastfeeding. These factors also tend to increase the likelihood of developing breast cancer; The fourth point is that benign breast conditions, if not promptly diagnosed and treated, could potentially transform into malignant tumors; The fifth point includes potential exposure to radiation, long-term use of exogenous estrogens, postmenopausal obesity, chronic alcohol consumption, and an irregular lifestyle, all of which can also have an impact.

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Written by Liu Liang
Oncology
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Thymus cancer and breast cancer differences

Thymic cancer, which refers to the malignant tumor that occurs in the thymus, predominantly presents as squamous cell carcinoma. It generally arises in the mediastinum, with clinical symptoms such as chest pain, cough, and breathing difficulties. Breast cancer, on the other hand, refers to the malignant tumor occurring in the breast tissue, with invasive ductal carcinoma being the most common type. Its symptoms often include unintentionally discovered breast lumps, or metastasis to axillary lymph nodes, felt as enlargement of these nodes. Therefore, these two diseases differ in their sites of origin, symptoms, pathological types, and treatments.

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Written by Fan Hong Qiao
Breast Health Department
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How to cure breast cancer?

In the treatment of breast cancer, early detection is very important. In the early to mid-stages of breast cancer, the cure rate is quite high, generally up to 99%. Therefore, if it is breast cancer, timely surgical treatment should be carried out. In the later stages, depending on the specific pathological conditions, it should be evaluated whether radiotherapy or chemotherapy is needed. Breast cancer patients, with active cooperation in treatment, have a great chance of being cured.

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Written by Fan Hong Qiao
Breast Health Department
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Differences between Breast Hyperplasia and Breast Cancer

Both breast hyperplasia and breast cancer can present as breast lumps. The lumps in breast hyperplasia are generally softer or of medium hardness, often occurring bilaterally with multiple lumps of varying sizes. They may appear nodular, plaque-like, or granular, are quite mobile, and have no adhesion to surrounding tissues. The size and characteristics of the lumps commonly change with the menstrual cycle and emotional fluctuations, and they tend to grow slowly, predominantly affecting young and middle-aged women. In contrast, breast cancer lumps are generally harder, usually unilateral and solitary. These lumps may be round, oval, or irregular in shape, can grow quite large, have limited mobility, and tend to adhere to the skin and surrounding tissues. The lumps are not related to the menstrual cycle or emotional changes, can increase in size rapidly over a short period, and are more commonly seen in middle-aged and older women. Sometimes breast cancer can be confused with breast hyperplasia, necessitating a hospital visit for examination and diagnostic differentiation by a doctor.