Definition

1. Noun:
   • A surgical operation to remove all or part of a breast, typically performed to treat or prevent breast cancer. A mastectomy is a major surgical procedure where breast tissue is removed.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • After her diagnosis, she opted for a mastectomy.
  • A preventive mastectomy can significantly reduce the risk of cancer for high-risk patients.
  • The surgeon explained the differences between a lumpectomy and a mastectomy.

Advanced Usage

• "to undergo a mastectomy": to have the surgical procedure performed.
  • She had to undergo a double mastectomy.
• "prophylactic mastectomy": a preventive surgery performed to reduce cancer risk, not to treat an existing cancer.
  • Due to a strong family history, she chose a prophylactic mastectomy.

Variants and Related Words

• Mastectomies (n): The plural form of mastectomy.
  • Advances in technique have improved outcomes for mastectomies.
• Mastectomized (adj): Having undergone a mastectomy. (Note: This term is less common and can be considered clinical or insensitive in casual contexts; "post-mastectomy" is often preferred.)
  • The support group is for mastectomized women. (More common: ...for women post-mastectomy.)

Synonyms

• Breast removal surgery: A descriptive synonym.
• Mammectomy: A less common, synonymous medical term.

Related Phrases

• Post-mastectomy: Referring to the period or condition after the surgery.
  • Post-mastectomy recovery can take several weeks.
• Skin-sparing mastectomy: A surgical technique that preserves the breast skin for reconstruction.
  • She was a candidate for a skin-sparing mastectomy.
• Nipple-sparing mastectomy: A technique that preserves the nipple and areola.
  • The nipple-sparing mastectomy allowed for a more natural reconstruction.

Noun

1. surgical removal of a breast to remove a malignant tumor