segmental mastectomy
(seg-ment-ul mas-tek-toe-mee)
The removal of the cancer as well as some of the breast tissue around the cancer and the lining over the chest muscles below the cancer. Usually some of the lymph nodes under the arm are also removed. Sometimes called partial mastectomy.
For more information, see Breastcancer.org's Mastectomy section.
Audio contributed by: Marisa Weiss, M.D.