Side Effects of Breast Cancer Surgery

Surgery

The surgeon will explain possible side effects with a woman before she has surgery. After surgery, a woman's health-care team will work closely with her to manage or relieve as many of her side effects as possible. Below is a description of side effects resulting from breast cancer surgery as well as some important breast cancer management strategies.

Temporary pain. Surgery can cause pain and tenderness in the area that was operated on. Women may want to talk with their doctors and nurses about how to control the pain.

Shift in weight. Removal of a breast can make a woman's weight shift, and she may feel off-balance, especially if she has large breasts. This can cause discomfort in a woman's neck and back.

Tightness in skin. The skin in the breast area may be tight, and the muscles of the arm and shoulder may feel stiff. After breast surgery, some women lose strength in these muscles, but this is usually temporary. The doctor, nurse or physical therapist can recommend exercises to help a woman use her arm and shoulder normally again.

Changes in sensation. In order to remove the breast in a mastectomy, the nerves, which give feeling to the skin over the breast, must be cut. This results in numbness or tingling over the chest in almost all women. Sensation often returns 1 to 2 years after surgery, but is usually not completely normal. Similar feelings may be noted on the upper inner part of the arm if the nerve to this area cannot be saved during removal of the underarm lymph nodes.

Phantom breast sensations. Some women may also feel that their breast is still there after it has been removed. This phenomenon, known as phantom breast sensation, can be a temporary sensation or a permanent one. People who have had a limb removed experience this as well. If a woman experiences this, she should let her doctor or nurse know. (Courtesy of EyeWire)

Lymphedema. If a woman's lymph nodes are removed from her armpit, she may experience swelling in her hand or arm on the side where she had her surgery. This risk is increased if her cancer treatment involves radiation therapy to her armpit. This is called lymphedema. It may occur right after surgery or it may happen later. It is caused when excess lymph collects in tissue. A woman's doctor or nurse can suggest treatments to help deal with this side effect. There are things a woman can do to decrease her risk of lymphedema. She should protect her arm and hand from injury, avoid heavy lifting, and notify her doctor immediately of any signs of infection, such as redness or warmth, pain that starts suddenly and swelling in the arm. For more information visit the National Lymphedema Network at www.lymphnet.org.

Rare side effects. A woman's doctor may review the following rare side effects with her before surgery.

Although not common, there is a risk of infection when a person has surgery.

Poor wound healing, bleeding, or reaction to the anesthesia are uncommon side effects that may occur with surgery. Women who experience any of these side effects should tell their doctor or nurse right away.

 

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