Mastectomy refers to the actual surgical removal of a breast in order to remove a malignant tumor although there are other options depending on the stage of the cancer and of the age of the patient. Breast cancer is the chief reason for performing a mastectomy, a procedure in which one or both of the breasts are partially or completely removed. Women and men who have already been diagnosed with breast cancer may require the surgery to ensure that malignant cells do not spread to surrounding tissues.

The surgery can be performed prophylactically, that is as a preventative measure in women (and men) who have a history of breast cancer in their family and a high risk of developing the condition. The operation can also be performed on transmen (females who identify as males) as part of the gender realignment process.

There are various stages of breast cancer and a mastectomy may be all that is required to alleviate the condition. Sometimes, radiation, chemotherapy or hormone therapy is also needed in addition to the mastectomy. A mastectomy may also be carried out for those men who have abnormal breast growth (gynecomastia) which has resulted usually through hormonal imbalance.

Procedure information
The surgical procedure for a mastectomy involves the removal of the entire breast under general anesthetic and if the tumor is very large and has infiltrated the chest muscles, a radical mastectomy will often see the removal of those muscles as well as the axillary lymph nodes.

Chemotherapy may also be required after a mastectomy to ensure cancer cells are killed off. Anticancer drugs are administered orally or injected into a vein or muscle. Radiation therapy may also be utilized before or after surgery; to reduce the size of a tumor before surgery, or to eradicate leftover cancer cells afterwards, by firing high-energy particles onto cancer cells. Hormone therapy may also be employed in males with breast cancer whereby anti-estrogens are administered.

Recovery time
After a mastectomy, patients generally have to stay in hospital for observation for one to three days to see if there is any infection or other complications. If dissolving stitches have been used in your mastectomy they will dissipate automatically but those with non-dissolving stitches will have to have them removed within seven to ten days.

The normal recovery time after a mastectomy is somewhere around three to six weeks, with the exact recovery time depending on the severity of the cancerous region, your age, your fitness, and post-operational self-care. Emotional recovery may also take some time to come to terms with the loss of a breast, although this is significantly less crucial for men.