What does mastectomy mean?
A mastectomy is a surgical procedure in which all or part of a breast is removed, most often as a treatment for breast cancer. The operation may involve removing the breast tissue alone, the breast together with nearby lymph nodes, or additional underlying chest muscles, depending on the type performed. The term is also used more broadly for the medical removal of a breast. A mastectomy differs from a lumpectomy, which removes only the affected tissue while preserving most of the breast. Although the word can be emotionally charged because of the physical and personal consequences of the operation, it is a precise medical term. It is widely used in clinical, biographical, and public-health contexts, and discussions of the procedure often include terms such as total mastectomy, radical mastectomy, and modified radical mastectomy.
nounA surgical operation involving the removal of all or part of a breast, usually as a treatment for breast cancer. The term may also refer to the removal of a breast for other medical reasons.
- A surgical operation to remove all or part of a breast.
- The removal of a breast as a medical procedure, especially for the treatment or prevention of breast cancer.
"After the biopsy confirmed the diagnosis, she was scheduled for a mastectomy."
"She underwent a mastectomy after doctors found a malignant tumor."
"The surgeon explained the differences among a partial, total, radical, and modified radical mastectomy."
The usual plural is formed by changing the -y to -ies.
"The hospital specializes in breast-conserving surgery and mastectomies."
The word combines roots meaning “breast” and “excision,” literally describing the removal of a breast.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mastectomy come from?
The word combines the Greek roots mastos, meaning “breast,” and ektomē, meaning “a cutting out” or “excision.” It entered English in the late 19th century as a medical term patterned on other Greek-derived surgical terms. Its relatives include mammary, from Latin mamme, and the related Greek-root terms mast- and -ectomy appearing in words such as mastitis and gastrectomy.
How mastectomy is actually used
The term is primarily medical and is used in both British and American English. In a medical context, it can refer to the operation or, by extension, to the resulting loss of a breast.
Easily confused with mastectomy
A lumpectomy removes only the cancerous tissue and surrounding tissue, preserving most of the breast, whereas a mastectomy removes all or a substantial part of the breast.