Breast Surgery

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Facing breast surgery can bring many emotions, including uncertainty and concern for what comes next. At Norton Healthcare, we understand how personal and overwhelming this experience can be. Whether your surgery is related to breast cancer, a benign tumor or another health issue, our multidisciplinary team is here to provide expertise in your condition and compassionate care designed around your unique needs and goals.

In addition to cancer treatment, our breast team provides comprehensive breast care for patients without a cancer diagnosis. From routine screenings and diagnostic evaluations to minor and elective procedures, we are here to support your breast health at every stage.

From preserving the natural shape of the breast to providing options for reconstruction and managing lymph node involvement, we offer advanced surgical techniques tailored to support your healing and long-term wellness.

Breast Surgical Treatment Options

Norton Cancer Institute’s breast health team is skilled and experienced in using advanced treatment options. Once the stage and type of your cancer is determined, the team will devise your personalized care plan. If surgery is needed, the type of surgery depends on characteristics of the tumor, specifically the type, size and location.

Every patient is different, and so is every treatment plan. At Norton Healthcare, our surgeons work closely with oncologists, radiologists and reconstruction specialists to offer coordinated, personalized care. We’ll walk with you through every decision — from the type of surgery to recovery and beyond.

Types of Breast Surgery

A lumpectomy, also known as breast conservation surgery or partial mastectomy, removes only the tumor and a small margin of surrounding healthy tissue. The goal is to keep most of the breast intact while eliminating the disease.

Oncoplastic surgery combines cancer removal with plastic surgery techniques. It enhances cosmetic outcomes by reshaping the breast during the same procedure as the removal.

Mastectomy is a procedure in which the total breast is removed to treat or prevent disease. Reconstruction may be performed at the same time or delayed, based on patient preference and health factors.

In some cases, when it’s compatible with your diagnosis and treatment, the surgeon may perform one of the following incision options during a mastectomy:

Skin-sparing Mastectomy

A skin-sparing mastectomy preserves most of the breast skin to allow for easier reconstruction. This technique often is used when breast reconstruction is planned immediately after surgery.

Nipple-sparing Mastectomy

A nipple-sparing mastectomy removes all breast tissue but leaves the nipple and surrounding skin intact. It’s suitable for certain patients depending on tumor location and stage.

Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

This procedure identifies and removes the first draining lymph nodes, known as sentinel nodes, where your cancer is most likely to spread first. It involves injection of radioactive tracer and/or blue dye.

Axillary Lymph Node Dissection

This removes all (or nearly all) the lymph nodes under the arm and is recommended in certain types or stages of breast cancer. The number of lymph nodes involved helps determine how far cancer has spread and guides treatment decisions.

Supportive Procedures

In-office Procedures

Not all breast concerns require surgery in an operating room. Our breast specialists perform in-office procedures such as breast ultrasounds, aspirations and cyst drainage, providing timely care and relief for noncancerous conditions.

Implantable Port Placement

A medical port is an internal device implanted for long-term IV access. The port is used for chemotherapy, antibiotics or nutritional support in patients who require ongoing treatments.

Routine screenings can reveal tumors before they are large enough to be felt.

Are you age 40 or older? It may be time to begin receiving annual breast cancer screenings. Guidelines depend on your age and other risk factors.

Norton Cancer Institute

Regional Leader in Cancer Care

  • First in the world to treat a patient with a novel combination therapy for newly diagnosed acute leukemia
  • First in the world to treat a solid tumor patient with ONC-841, a novel immunotherapy drug targeting the SIGLEC-10 immune checkpoint molecule
  • Access to over 170 clinical trials, offering local patients the same leading-edge options available at top national centers
  • Nationally recognized center for early-phase research, with 23 active Phase 1 clinical trials underway
  • Patients from 20-plus U.S. states and two foreign countries have chosen Norton Cancer Institute for innovative cancer care
  • Only in Kentucky: Home to a state-of-the-art Norton Cancer Institute Genomics Lab, with support from the Norton Healthcare Foundation and Steven Vanover Foundation, enabling highly precise, genetically targeted cancer therapies
  • Gamma Tile Center of Excellence, as well as a two-time Novalis certification for setting the standard for stereotactic radiation
  • Subspecialized, board-certified oncologists leading cancer research and treatment advancements
  • Same-day or next-day appointments for newly diagnosed patients, plus multiple locations and valet parking to facilitate access to care
  • Multidisciplinary clinics to provide same-day, same-location access to multiple specialists for more convenient, coordinated care
  • Fully accredited by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer, the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers and the American College of Radiology

Care Designed With You in Mind

  • Comprehensive patient support, with five Norton Cancer Institute Resource Centers throughout Louisville and Southern Indiana, a patient navigator program, Norton Cancer Institute Behavioral Oncology Program, Norton Palliative Care Program, classes and events, art and music therapy, genetic counseling, nutrition services, financial counseling, pastoral care, and more
  • Medicare, Medicaid and most major insurances accepted, ensuring broad access to care
  • Specialty pharmacy services offer timely, accurate prescriptions with direct pharmacist-provider collaboration
  • 24/7 access to care tools via Norton MyChart — message providers, manage appointments, refill prescriptions and more
  • The Norton Healthcare Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Norton Healthcare’s not-for-profit adult-care services, continuously supporting the purchase of new equipment, programs, education and funding of research to ensure our patients stay up to date with medical advances and technology

Awards and Accreditations

Making Taking Care of Yourself Easier

Billing

Ask questions about your bill and securely pay online through Norton MyChart.

Cost Estimates

Find out what you can expect to pay before the bill comes. If you need help with the cost of your health care, assistance is available, even for many with middle class incomes.

Insurance

Medicare, Medicaid, worker’s compensation and most commercial insurance plans are accepted. You can get your Medicaid-covered annual wellness visit (AWV) with us. See the companies, insurance carriers and government organizations that we partner with.

Norton Healthcare Breast Health Centers

Our breast health centers offer a full range of diagnostic and treatment programs designed to promote breast health. The centers are staffed by skilled breast specialists offering support services and educational resources related to prevention, detection and treatment of breast issues.

*These inherited gene mutations significantly increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. However, not everyone who carries these mutations will develop cancer, and some hereditary cancers can occur without BRCA1 or BRCA2 involvement.

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