For individuals diagnosed with metastatic (stage 4) TNBC, surgery is not usually recommended. If you have been diagnosed with metastatic TNBC, ask your doctor if surgery is an option for you.
After you’ve received an early stage (stages 1-3) breast cancer diagnosis, you will meet with a breast surgeon to talk about your surgery options. Often, early stage TNBC will be treated with chemotherapy and an immunotherapy drug (Keytruda) before surgery.
Your doctors will recommend a type of surgery based on your diagnosis. Surgical options include:
You will also need to decide whether or not you want to have breast reconstruction surgery and, if so, when that would take place. Studies have shown that Black women diagnosed with breast cancer are often not offered breast reconstruction, so it’s important that you ask your doctor for your breast reconstruction options and, if you decide, a referral to a plastic surgeon. When you meet with your plastic surgeon, ask them what experience they have had with Black breast cancer patients and, if the answer is none, get a second opinion. Individuals who have already had breast reconstruction, but are unhappy with the results (either because of issues with the way it looks or issues with the way it feels) can also choose to undergo corrective breast reconstruction.
Many patients choose to skip breast reconstruction and go flat. Or, survivors/thrivers who initially chose reconstruction may change their minds years later and go flat. Whenever you make the decision, ask your doctor about an aesthetic flat closure. This type of procedure has the best outcomes.
Some patients worry that keloids may become an issue in breast reconstruction. If you’re worried, talk to your plastic surgeon in advance about their experience with reducing the risk of keloid scarring.
A newer surgical technique, called Resensation, can be performed at the same time as breast reconstruction with the hope of minimizing numbness and restoring sensation to the breasts after a mastectomy. The Resensation technique reconnects nerves that are cut during a mastectomy using something called a nerve allograft. It can either be performed during an immediate reconstruction (at the same time as the mastectomy) or a delayed reconstruction (months or years after the mastectomy). Resensation may also be an option for those going flat after a mastectomy and for those considering correcting a previous implant reconstruction. Ask your doctor if Resensation is an option for your treatment.
Breast cancer surgery happens in a hospital. Before surgery, a doctor will use a mammogram or an ultrasound to find the exact location of your tumor and mark that spot with either a thin wire or a small “seed” inserted very near the tumor. Your breast surgeon will use these markers to make sure that they are only cutting very close to the cancer.
You’ll be given general anesthesia through an IV, which will put you to sleep and keep you from feeling any pain or discomfort during the surgery.
If you are having a sentinel lymph node biopsy at the same time as your lumpectomy, your doctor will inject a blue dye close to the tumor and, depending on what lymph nodes that dye moves to, determine which lymph nodes should be surgically removed.
The surgeon will remove the tumor, and potentially some surrounding breast tissue and/or lymph nodes.
Some patients begin their partial breast reconstruction process at the time of their surgery. Others wait until after their cancer treatment to undergo partial breast reconstruction. Others will choose to skip the partial breast reconstruction process.
Lumpectomies can take as little as 1-2 hours.
After the surgery is done, the nurse will take you to a recovery room where they will monitor you to make sure that you are stable and that you come out of anesthesia safely. When you wake up, you’ll feel groggy and disoriented. If you feel pain or nausea, tell the nurse—she can give you medication. You will have stitches at your incision site(s) (that may be sealed with wound glue) with bandages over them. You may also have a wound drain. This drain is meant to let fluid exit the wound and will be removed a few days after your surgery at a follow-up with your doctor.
Your breast will hurt and you may feel numb or tingly— the doctor will prescribe you pain medicine and other medications to help with this.
Whether or not you will need to stay overnight in the hospital depends on the type of surgery. Someone will need to come pick you up from the hospital, take you to pick up your prescriptions, and drive you home.
Your doctor will give you any instructions you will need before you leave the hospital, which may include how to take care of your incision, how to care for and empty your temporary drain (if you have one), what medications you should take and when, when you can shower (often a few days after surgery), and when they would like to see you again for a follow-up. You should not lift or carry heavy things, drive, go grocery shopping, or do any major physical activity while you are recovering. Ask your doctor when it’s okay to do your usual activities. Make sure that your doctor gives you all of these instructions in writing, so you have them to look back at later.
In general, breast cancer surgery wounds take roughly 2 to 3 weeks to heal. As your nerves begin to heal and regrow, your chest may feel tight, heavy, achy or itchy.
You’re going to feel sore and tired for a while afterwards, with some restricted movement in your chest and arms. It’s important that you get up and move around, though. Try to shoot for a short, slow walk a few times a day. This movement will decrease your chance of infection and blood clots. Your medical team will also give you arm and shoulder exercises to do every day during your recovery. These exercises are meant to help you heal and keep your arms and shoulders from getting stiff. Even if you don’t really feel like it, try to do your exercises every day.
The results of your breast cancer surgery will show whether all of the cancer was removed. Waiting for these results can be hard and stressful—ask your doctor when you should expect to know the results of your surgery.
Treating triple negative breast cancer is incredibly important. It also comes with some side effects. We know that reading a list of potential side effects can be scary and stressful—just because something is on this list doesn’t mean you will definitely experience it. But if we’re being honest, you will likely face something on this list. We’ve faced them ourselves. And we want you to be prepared to tackle it equipped with resources and support. We’re here for you.
Breast cancer surgery happens in a hospital. You’ll be given general anesthesia through an IV, which will put you to sleep and keep you from feeling any pain or discomfort during the surgery.
The surgeon will remove tumor, breast tissue, and potentially lymph nodes.
Some patients begin their breast reconstruction process at the time of their surgery. Others wait until after their cancer treatment to undergo breast reconstruction. Others will choose to stay flat instead and skip the breast reconstruction process.
Mastectomies with breast reconstruction can take as much as 6-8 hours.
After the surgery is done, the nurse will take you to a recovery room where they will monitor you to make sure that you are stable and that you come out of anesthesia safely. When you wake up, you’ll feel groggy and disoriented. If you feel pain or nausea, tell the nurse—she can give you medication. You will have stitches at your incision site(s) (that may be sealed with wound glue) with bandages over them. You may also have wound drains.These drains are meant to let fluid exit the wound and will be removed a few days after your surgery at a follow-up with your doctor.
Your chest will hurt and may feel numb or tingly— the doctor will prescribe you pain medicine and other medications to help with this.
Whether or not you will need to stay overnight in the hospital depends on the type of surgery. Someone will need to come pick you up from the hospital, take you to pick up your prescriptions, and drive you home.
Your doctor will give you any instructions you will need before you leave the hospital, which may include how to take care of your incision, how to care for and empty your temporary drains (if you have them), what medications you should take and when, when you can shower (often a few days after surgery), and when they would like to see you again for a follow-up. You should not lift or carry heavy things, drive, go grocery shopping, or do any major physical activity while you are recovering. Ask your doctor when it’s okay to do your usual activities. Make sure that your doctor gives you all of these instructions in writing, so you have them to look back at later.
In general, breast cancer surgery wounds take roughly 2 to 3 weeks to heal. As your nerves begin to heal and regrow, your chest may feel tight, heavy, achy or itchy.
You’re going to feel sore and tired for a while afterwards, with restricted movement in your chest and arms. It’s important that you get up and move around, though. Try to shoot for a short, slow walk a few times a day. This movement will decrease your chance of infection and blood clots. Your medical team will also give you arm and shoulder exercises to do every day during your recovery. These exercises are meant to help you heal and keep your arms and shoulders from getting stiff. Even if you don’t really feel like it, try to do your exercises every day.
The results of your breast cancer surgery will show whether all of the cancer was removed. Waiting for these results can be hard and stressful—ask your doctor when you should expect to know the results of your surgery.
Treating triple negative breast cancer is incredibly important. It also comes with some side effects. We know that reading a list of potential side effects can be scary and stressful—just because something is on this list doesn’t mean you will definitely experience it. But if we’re being honest, you will likely face something on this list. We’ve faced them ourselves. And we want you to be prepared to tackle it equipped with resources and support. We’re here for you.
You can learn more about recognizing, managing, and minimizing these side effects in our resources section.
