Breast Lump Excision
What is Breast Lump Excision?
Breast lump excision, also known as a lumpectomy or excisional biopsy, is a surgical procedure to remove a lump or mass from the breast, typically to diagnose or treat conditions like fibroadenomas, cysts, or cancer. It’s often performed when imaging or biopsy results are inconclusive or when the lump causes symptoms. In India, breast lump excision is conducted in general surgery or breast surgery departments at hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Medanta, Tata Memorial, and AIIMS, often at affordable costs. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs is essential for patients.
why do you need Breast Lump Excision?
Breast lump excision is indicated for:
- Diagnostic purposes:
- Suspicious lump on imaging (e.g., mammogram, ultrasound) or clinical exam; inconclusive fine needle aspiration (FNA) or core biopsy.
- Rule out breast cancer (e.g., BIRADS 4–5 lesions on imaging).
- Therapeutic purposes:
- Benign lumps causing pain/discomfort (e.g., fibroadenomas, phyllodes tumors).
- Early-stage breast cancer (lumpectomy as part of breast-conserving surgery, often followed by radiation).
- Associated conditions:
- May be linked to fibrocystic changes, infections (e.g., abscess), or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS).
- Timing:
- Performed after imaging and biopsy; urgent if cancer suspected or lump rapidly growing.
The procedure aims to remove the lump with clear margins (if cancerous), preserve breast appearance, and provide tissue for histopathological diagnosis, guiding further treatment if needed.
Why Do Breast Lump Excision Costs Vary in India?
Costs range from ₹40,000 to ₹1.2 lakh:
- Procedure Complexity: Simple excision (benign, ₹40,000–₹70,000); lumpectomy with SLNB (cancer, ₹70,000–₹1.2 lakh).
- Hospital/Location: Higher in metro cities (Apollo, Fortis: ₹70,000–₹1.2 lakh); lower in government hospitals (AIIMS, Tata Memorial: ₹15,000–₹40,000, often subsidized under Ayushman Bharat).
- Surgeon’s Expertise: Experienced breast surgeons charge more.
- Additional Costs: Anesthesia (₹5,000–₹15,000), hospital stay (₹5,000–₹10,000/day), histopathology (₹3,000–₹8,000), imaging (₹5,000–₹10,000), medications (₹2,000–₹5,000).
- Insurance: Covered for diagnostic/therapeutic purposes (esp. cancer); confirm with your provider.
Breast Lump Excision Procedure
- Before Surgery Evaluation:
- Assessment:
- Clinical exam: Palpates lump size, location, and mobility.
- Imaging: Mammogram/ultrasound/MRI to assess lump characteristics and extent.
- Biopsy (if done): FNA or core biopsy to guide surgical planning.
- Blood tests: Blood sugar, clotting profile.
- Consent: Risks, including scarring, are explained.
- Assessment:
- Surgical Techniques:
- Breast Lump Excision:
- Performed under local anesthesia with sedation (small lumps) or general anesthesia (larger/cancerous lumps), lasting 30–60 minutes.
- Approach:
- Incision: Usually over the lump or in a cosmetically favorable location (e.g., periareolar or inframammary, 2–5 cm).
- For cancer (lumpectomy): Includes margin of healthy tissue (0.5–1 cm); wire localization may be used for non-palpable lumps (guided by ultrasound/MRI).
- Excision:
- Lump removed with surrounding tissue; sent for histopathology (frozen section if cancer suspected, to confirm margins intraoperatively).
- Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB): If cancer suspected, 1–3 nodes removed to check for spread.
- Closure: Skin closed with absorbable sutures; cosmetic techniques used to minimize scarring.
- Intraoperative Tools:
- Ultrasound (if needed): Localizes non-palpable lumps.
- Wire localization: Guides excision for non-palpable lumps.
- Cautery: Controls bleeding.
- Breast Lump Excision:
- After Surgery:
- Hospital stay: Same-day discharge (benign) or 1–2 days (cancer/SLNB).
- Care: Wear supportive bra; keep incision dry; avoid arm strain.
- Pain management: Mild to moderate pain for 2–5 days; managed with acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
- Instructions: Monitor for swelling; no heavy lifting for 2–3 weeks.
Recovery After Breast Lump Excision
- Hospital Stay: Same-day discharge (benign) or 1–2 days (cancer/SLNB).
- Post-Surgery Care:
- Pain/Swelling: Mild to moderate pain for 2–5 days; swelling/bruising resolves in 1–2 weeks.
- Activity: Avoid heavy lifting or arm strain for 2–3 weeks; light activities in 3–5 days.
- Incision: Keep dry for 5–7 days; sutures dissolve or are removed in 7–10 days; scars fade in 6–12 months.
- Arm (if SLNB): Avoid heavy lifting to prevent lymphedema (swelling); exercises to improve mobility.
- Results: Histopathology report in 3–7 days; guides further treatment (e.g., radiation for cancer).
- Follow-Up:
- Visits at 1 week (suture removal, pathology review), 1 month, and 3 months.
- Mammogram (cancer cases): 6 months post-surgery for baseline.
Most resume normal activities in 1–2 weeks; full recovery takes 4–6 weeks. Success rate: 95–98% achieve complete lump removal; cancer recurrence depends on stage and adjuvant therapy (5–10% local recurrence in 5 years for lumpectomy with radiation).
Risks and Complications
- Surgical Risks:
- Bleeding (1–3%): Hematoma in breast; may need drainage.
- Infection (1–3%): At incision site; treated with antibiotics.
- Anesthesia risks (<1%): Reaction to anesthesia; rare in healthy patients.
- Post-Surgery:
- Seroma (2–5%): Fluid collection at site; may need aspiration.
- Asymmetry (2–5%): Breast shape change; may need cosmetic correction.
- Scarring (1–3%): Keloid or hypertrophic scars; usually minimal with proper technique.
- Lymphedema (1–3%, with SLNB): Arm swelling; managed with compression/physiotherapy.
- Long-Term:
- Cancer recurrence (5–10%, lumpectomy): Reduced with radiation; needs monitoring.
- Changes in breast sensation (1–3%): Usually temporary; resolves in 3–6 months.
Report fever, severe swelling, redness, or arm swelling promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What causes a breast lump?
Benign: Fibroadenoma, cysts, fibrocystic changes; malignant: Breast cancer, phyllodes tumor.
Can I avoid breast lump excision?
Yes, if benign and asymptomatic: Monitor with imaging; surgery needed for suspicious lumps, cancer, or symptomatic cases.
Is breast lump excision painful?
Mild to moderate pain for 2–5 days, managed with medication; discomfort subsides quickly.
How soon can I resume normal activities?
Light activities: 3–5 days; full recovery: 4–6 weeks; avoid heavy lifting for 2–3 weeks.
Is breast lump excision covered by insurance in India?
Yes, for diagnostic/therapeutic purposes (esp. cancer); confirm with your provider; Ayushman Bharat often subsidizes.
Signs of complications?
Fever, severe swelling, redness, or arm swelling.
Will my breast look normal after surgery?
90–95% achieve good cosmetic outcome; minor asymmetry possible; cancer cases may need further treatment (e.g., radiation).
Lifestyle changes post-surgery?
Wear supportive bra, avoid arm strain, monitor for recurrence (cancer), and attend follow-ups.
Conclusion
Breast lump excision is a safe and effective procedure to diagnose or treat breast lumps, with high success rates and minimal impact on breast appearance. India’s top hospitals (Apollo, Fortis, AIIMS) provide affordable care, often covered by insurance for medical necessity. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs helps patients approach surgery confidently. Consult a breast surgeon for personalized guidance.
Looking for Best Hospitals for Breast Lump Excision
Note: we are not promoting any hospitals
we are not promoting any hospitals we sourced all the details from google and hospitals website, please verify and start with your surgery here we go the list includes government, budget and superspeciality hospitals accreditation bodies are the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the Joint Commission International (JCI)
- click on your city and schedule your surgery now done in good hands.
| City | Minimum Price (₹) | Maximum Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|
Agra |
30,000 |
1,30,000 |
Ahmedabad |
40,000 |
1,50,000 |
Ajmer |
30,000 |
1,30,000 |
Aligarh |
30,000 |
1,30,000 |
Allahabad |
30,000 |
1,30,000 |
Amritsar |
35,000 |
1,40,000 |
Aurangabad |
35,000 |
1,40,000 |
Bangalore |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Bareilly |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Belgaum |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Bhopal |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Bhubaneswar |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Bikaner |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Chandigarh |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Chennai |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Coimbatore |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Dehradun |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Delhi |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Dhanbad |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Durgapur |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Faridabad |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Ghaziabad |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Gorakhpur |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Guntur |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Gurgaon |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Guwahati |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Gwalior |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Hyderabad |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Indore |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Jabalpur |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Jaipur |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Jalandhar |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Jamshedpur |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Jodhpur |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Kanpur |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Kochi |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Kolkata |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Kollam |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Lucknow |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Ludhiana |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Madurai |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Mangalore |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Meerut |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Moradabad |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Mumbai |
l50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Mysore |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Nagpur |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Nashik |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Navi Mumbai |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Noida |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Patna |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Pune |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Raipur |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Rajkot |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Ranchi |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Surat |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Thane |
50,000 |
2,00,000 |
Vadodara |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Varanasi |
40,000 |
1,80,000 |
Visakhapatnam |
45,000 |
1,90,000 |
Disclaimer
This information is sourced from open platforms and is for general awareness only. Costs may vary based on individual cases. Please consult a qualified doctor for medical advice and explore options within your budget before deciding on the procedure.