Does Having a Breast Reduction or Lift Increase Your Chances of Breast Cancer or Cysts?

Question

does a breast reduction or lift increse a chance for breast cancer? there is no family history of cancer so far and i am in general healthy.

David Shafer, MD, FACS · Answer

Having a breast reduction or breast lift does not increase your chance of breast cancer.  I am curious why you ask that question and who may be feeding you false information?

Jed H. Horowitz, MD, FACS · Answer

All surgical procedures carry some degree of risk. Any breast
operation can result in changes in sensation. This happens less with lifts than
reductions but is still possible Occasionally, minor complications occur and do
not affect the surgical outcome. Major complications associated with this
procedure are rare. The suitability of the breast lift procedure and specific
risks may be determined during your consultation.

Although these risks and some risks of scarring exist, there is no real increased risk of breast cysts or cancer from the breast lift (mastopexy) alone. Best of luck to you!

Otto Joseph Placik, MD · Answer

A breast reduction or lift will likely increase the chances of cysts due to inclusion cysts from de-epithelialization or from fat necrosis. Neither has been associated with an increased risk of cancer. Furhtermore one European retrospective study has suggested a reduced risk of breast cancer in large breasted women who have undergone breast reduction.

James F. Boynton, MD, FACS · Answer

There is no increase risk of breast cancer from getting a breast reduction.  All breast tissue that is removed is routinely sent for pathologic analysis as a precautionary measure....the literature used to say 1 in 100 cases would find a breast cancer in the specimen, however most of us feel it is much more rare than that and I have never seen that.  If there specimen did in fact show cancer it would mean it was already present and actually it is important to know because the doctor would end up having to do more surgery.  I hope this helps!

	Sincerely,
	
	James F. Boynton, M.D., F.A.C.S.

Michael J. Weinberg, MD · Answer

When you have a breast reduction, a significant amount of breast tissue is removed. This means less tissue to get breast cancer in. It makes sense but it's hard to prove. I think we came closing to proving it in a paper we wrote and published a few years ago. It was a huge study.

Frank Agullo, MD · Answer

Breast reduction surgery does not increase the risk of breast cancer or breast cysts. It may actually decrease it, although there are no studies to confirm this. From el Paso.

Lawrence Iteld, MD · Answer

There is NO evidence that breast lift or reduction increases the risk of breast cancer. In fact, there is one study that suggests the risk may go down after breast reduction (less breast tissue means less tissue that can become cancerous).

	It is still very important to perform self breast exams every month and obtain mammograms on a regular basis (after age 40) following surgery to monitor for any changes.

Tom J. Pousti, MD · Answer

Thank you for the question.

	There is no evidence that any type of breast surgery increases the risk of breast cancer.

	Best wishes.

Steven Turkeltaub, MD · Answer

Undergoing a breast reduction does not increase your risk of developing breast cancer. In fact, there are a few studies that reveal a lowered risk of developing breast cancer following a breast reduction and this was at a statistically significant level for women over the age of 40.

	Interestingly, some breast cancers that hadn't been picked up by screening measures such as mammograms, have been identified in the breast tissue removed during breast reduction. This obviously allows for a better prognosis when the tumor is extremely small versus when much larger at which point in time a mammograms can identify it.

Karol A. Gutowski, MD, FACS · Answer

There is no evidence that the risk of breast cancer goes up after breast reduction according to many studies that have been done to answer this questions. One report that grouped all the other studies showed a possible decrease in cancer risk. So as best we know, it is a safe procedure that has high patient satisfaction.

Does Having a Breast Reduction or Lift Increase Your Chances of Breast Cancer or Cysts?

Answers (20)

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