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Halsted radical mastectomy

(HAWL-sted RA-dih-kul ma-STEK-toh-mee)
Surgery to remove the whole breast, all of the lymph nodes under the arm, and the chest wall muscles under the breast. For many years, Halsted radical mastectomy was the type of breast cancer surgery used most often, but it is rarely used now. It may be used only when breast cancer has spread to the chest wall muscles. Also called radical mastectomy.
Radical mastectomy; the drawing on the left shows the removal of the whole breast and the lymph nodes under the arm. The drawing on the right shows a cross-section of the breast, including the fatty tissue and chest wall (ribs and muscle). A tumor in the breast is also shown.Enlarge this image in new window
Radical mastectomy. The whole breast, all of the lymph nodes under the arm, and the chest wall muscles under the breast are removed. For many years, radical mastectomy was the type of breast cancer surgery used most often, but it is rarely used now.
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