Breast Cancer Surgery

The surgeons at Torrance Memorial’s Hunt Cancer Institute offer each breast cancer patient a personalized treatment plan that combines the most advanced surgical techniques with warmth and compassion for each individual. Our surgeons use the latest technology to reduce the need for multiple surgeries and minimize trauma and disruption.

Surgical Procedures

Our surgeons perform a full range of breast cancer surgeries, including:

• Surgical biopsy: The use of a needle to remove a sample of breast tissue for testing.
• Lumpectomy: Also known as breast-conserving surgery, this procedure removes the tumor and a small amount of the surrounding tissue.
• Mastectomy: Removal of all or part of the breast and sometimes some of the lymph nodes and muscles.
• Nipple and skin-sparing mastectomy: During which all or some of the breast tissue, the nipple and the areola are removed but the rest of the breast skin is preserved.
• Breast reconstruction: The creation of a natural-looking breast following breast cancer surgery.

For women whose treatment includes mastectomy, our breast surgeons collaborate with our plastic surgeons to offer breast reconstruction at the same time as breast cancer surgery.

Our Technology

Our surgeons combine their years of experience in breast care with state-of-the-art technology to deliver the best surgical results. Our technology includes:

• MarginProbe®: A device used during a lumpectomy to help the surgeon determine whether the breast tissue surrounding the tumor site is cancer-free. Because this information is available to the surgeon within minutes, breast cancer patients are less likely to require a second surgery.
• Sentinel lymph node mapping: A test used in conjunction with surgical biopsy in which a small, safe amount of radioactive material is injected into the breast and helps the surgeon identify the lymph nodes so they can be tested to determine if the cancer has spread.

Breast Patient Navigators

Women who receive treatment for breast cancer at Torrance Memorial are guided through their patient journey by one of our breast care patient navigators. Our navigators are specially trained, caring and experienced registered nurses who provide guidance, support and coordination of care for patients who are diagnosed with breast cancer or experiencing breast health issues.

Contact our breast cancer navigator in our Cancer Resource Center at 310-784-6384.

Our Breast Care Team

At Torrance Memorial, we take a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach to breast care. Our team includes:

• Breast cancer surgeons: Our breast surgeons are experts in the use of the latest surgical technology for all types of breast surgery, including biopsy, lumpectomy and mastectomy.
• Radiation oncologists: Our radiation oncologists are board-certified physicians who specialize in using radiation therapy to treat cancer.
• Medical oncologists: Our medical oncologists are board-certified to treat breast cancer using targeted therapies such as chemotherapy.
• Plastic surgeons: Our board-certified plastic surgeons are experts in breast reconstruction and breast-conserving procedures.

Our breast care team meets at a weekly tumor board to discuss each breast cancer case, ensuring that you receive personalized, effective care.

Recognized as a Breast Center of Excellence

The Vasek and Anna Maria Polak Breast Diagnostic Center is fully accredited by the American College of Surgeons and the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC) and is held to the highest standards of care for patients with diseases of the breast.