Side effects from surgery for breast cancer

Surgery causes short-term pain and tenderness in the area of the operation, so you may need to talk with your doctor about which method of pain control would be best for you. Any kind of surgery also carries a risk of infection, poor wound healing, bleeding, or a reaction to the anesthesia used in surgery. Tell your health professional right away if you experience any of these problems.

Removal of a breast (mastectomy) can cause your weight to shift and be out of balance, especially if you have had large breasts. This imbalance can cause discomfort in your neck and back. Also, the skin in the breast area may be tight, and the muscles of your arm and shoulder may feel stiff. After a mastectomy, some women have some permanent loss of strength in these muscles. But for most women, reduced strength and limited movement are temporary. Your doctor, nurse, or physical therapist can recommend exercises to help you regain movement and strength in your arm and shoulder.

You may have numbness and tingling in your chest, underarm, shoulder, and arm, because nerves may have been injured or cut during surgery. These feelings usually go away within a few weeks or months, but some women may have permanent numbness. As for the incision, it can take up to 12 months to know how your scar will finally look.

Removing many lymph nodes under the arm for axillary dissection slows the flow of lymph fluid. This is why sentinel lymph node biopsy is now done for staging breast cancer. In some women, this fluid builds up in the arm and hand and causes swelling (lymphedema). Protect your arm and hand on the treated side from injury, even many years after surgery. Ask your doctor how to handle any cuts, scratches, insect bites, or other injuries that may occur. Contact your doctor if an infection develops in your arm or hand.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy has greatly reduced problems from lymphedema.