ADVANTAGES:
Your breast will not have to be removed. The surgery is less extensive than a mastectomy. You will have a shorter recovery time than a mastectomy. There is no need for reconstructive surgery or a prosthesis.

DISADVANTAGES:
You will probably need additional treatment with radiation therapy. Small-breasted women with large lumps may have a significant change in breast shape. Scar tissue from this treatment may make it more difficult to examine your breast later.

With early breast cancer, the outcome of a lumpectomy and radiation therapy is equal to the outcome from a mastectomy.