What does lumpectomy mean?
A lumpectomy is an operation to remove a tumour or other suspicious tissue from a breast without removing the whole breast. It is most often associated with the treatment of early breast cancer and is generally intended to preserve as much healthy breast tissue as possible. After the operation, the removed tissue is examined to determine whether the margins are clear, and the patient may receive radiation therapy, chemotherapy, endocrine treatment, or a combination of these. In medical discussions, lumpectomy is commonly called breast-conserving surgery and may be contrasted with mastectomy, which removes all or part of the breast. The procedure is clinically important because it offers an alternative to total breast removal for many patients, although the appropriate treatment depends on the nature and stage of the disease, the tumour’s characteristics, and the individual patient’s circumstances.
nounA surgical operation to remove a tumour or other abnormal tissue from the breast while preserving the rest of the breast. The procedure is also known as breast-conserving surgery and may be followed by radiation therapy or other treatment.
- Surgical removal of a tumour or other abnormal tissue from the breast while preserving the remainder of the breast.
"She underwent a lumpectomy and will receive radiation therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence."
"The surgeon recommended a lumpectomy because the cancer was small and had not spread."
"After the lumpectomy, the pathology report showed that the margins were clear."
The usual plural is formed by changing the final “y” to “ies.”
"She has had two lumpectomies, and the doctors are monitoring the affected area closely."
A lumpectomy can remove a breast tumour while leaving the breast in place, making it a form of cancer surgery with a strongly breast-preserving purpose.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does lumpectomy come from?
The word “lumpectomy” combines “lump,” referring to a mass or swelling, with the combining form “-ectomy,” meaning surgical removal. The suffix comes through Greek ektomē, a cutting out or excision, and is used in many names of surgical operations. The compound developed within medical terminology as a name for an operation that removes a lump or tumour from the breast rather than the entire breast.
Related word forms
How lumpectomy is actually used
The term is used mainly in medical and patient-facing contexts. In formal oncology writing, it is often described as breast-conserving surgery, sometimes in combination with axillary surgery or radiation therapy.
Easily confused with lumpectomy
A lumpectomy removes only the tumour and a margin of surrounding tissue, whereas a mastectomy removes all or part of the breast.