What's the difference between a 'radical' and a 'modified radical'

survives said:

I think---
a radical mastectomy takes the muscle under the affected breast as well as the breast, plus they remove more nodes from different areas. This surgery goes to the chest wall. In a modified radical mastectomy (what I had), the muscle is left intact, the breast is removed and some of the nodes under the arm are removed. (I lost 13).

survives said:

You are right, New Flower.
That AND the muscle is removed. It is quite an extensive surgery. Usually done when cancer is on chest wall as well as breast.

edited to add::

From breastcancer.org
Surgery for breast cancer in which the breast, chest muscles, and all of the lymph nodes under the arm are removed. For many years, this was the most common operation for breast cancer. It is rarely performed today.

Woman with radical mastectomy. A pink highlighted area indicates tissue removed at mastectomy B axillary lymph nodes: levels I C axillary lymph nodes: levels II D axillary lymph nodes: levels III E supraclavicular lymph nodes F internal mammary lymph nodes

Copy and paste this link: http://www.breastcancer.org/pictures/treatment/skin_sparing_mastectomy/radical.jsp

And I do hope I'm breaking the rules for posting link to another site!
Jennifer

Chrispea said:

I had a radical mastectomy,
I had a radical mastectomy, and my surgeon took a bit of muscle and 15 lymphnodes. They tested the muscle and it was clear.

I did physical therapy. My insurance only paid for 15 sessions, but it was totally worth it. I wish I could go every week still. I always felt great afterward. I'm still sore, but can lift my arm up almost the whole way.