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Lumpectomy (Breast-Conserving Surgery)
Source: Lumpectomy (Breast-Conserving Surgery), National Cancer Institute.
Source updated: Not stated in this source · Captured 2026-09-09.
Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.
NCI patient treatment article for this disease Exact source article; not a clinically reviewed indication or current-standard recommendation.
Lumpectomy is a type of breast surgery in which the surgeon removes the ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) or breast cancer and some healthy tissue around it. If the cancer is near the chest wall, part of the chest wall lining may also be removed.
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Lumpectomy is an option for some people with DCIS or invasive breast cancer. It is usually followed by radiation therapy. Research shows that lumpectomy plus radiation therapy is just as effective as mastectomy (surgery to remove all breast tissue) at lowering your chance of dying from breast cancer or of the cancer coming back. Learn more about choosing between a mastectomy and lumpectomy to treat breast cancer.
Your doctor may suggest a lumpectomy plus radiation therapy if:
the cancer or DCIS is small relative to the size of the breast
the cancer or DCIS is found in only one place in the breast
you are not pregnant and are able to have daily radiation therapy for up to 6 weeks
If large amounts of tissue need to be removed during a lumpectomy, the surgery may be called partial mastectomy, segmental mastectomy, or quadrantectomy.
After a lumpectomy, a pathologist will check the healthy tissue that was removed to see if it contains DCIS or cancer. If it does, you may need more surgery or a mastectomy so the surgeon can remove more tissue and make sure no DCIS or cancer cells remain in the breast.
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Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice