Mastectomy can refer to either breast cancer surgery or any type of surgery in which one or both breasts are removed and reconstructed with tissue grafts, prosthetic devices, and/or skin flaps from the back, abdomen, or buttocks. Mastectomies may be performed as preventive measures in women who have an abnormality on one breast but not the other, have a family history of breast cancer, or are considered at very high risk of developing breast cancer later in life. Other mastectomies are done as treatment to remove cancerous tumors from the body.

The Procedure

Mastectomies are one of the most common surgical procedures performed on women. The procedure is typically performed to remove cancerous tumors. The cost for mastectomies can vary from country to country and even by hospital, but the average price for this procedure is $7,500 USD.

The Recovery

A mastectomy is an operation to remove all or part of a breast. The surgery may be done as treatment for breast cancer, or as preventive surgery if you have certain genetic risk factors. It can also be done as part of gender reassignment surgery. You will need time to recover from the procedure, with full recovery taking about six months or more. You can expect to make gradual progress over this time period and experience different levels of discomfort during that time.