Breast Surgical Services

You may be referred to a surgeon for various reasons, including:

• Breast pain
• Having a lump in your breast
• Nipple discharge
• Changes to the appearance of your breast
• An abnormal mammogram
• Concerns about risk factors for breast cancer

What to expect  

Your first appointment

When you arrive for your first appointment, you will complete a questionnaire about your medical history. During the appointment, your surgeon will discuss your health history and symptoms with you and perform a breast examination.

Your surgeon will work with you to develop a care plan that is tailored to your needs and explain your options for next steps. Next steps may include further testing, surgery or other treatments.

Biopsy

If your surgeon finds a lump or thickening in your breast during the breast examination, you may need additional imaging tests. This helps determine if your need a biopsy.

If you require a biopsy, there are two methods that might be used: 

• a fine needle aspiration (FNA)
• a core biopsy

During a fine needle aspiration, your surgeon uses a very thin needle to remove cells or tissue from the lump in your breast. 

During a core biopsy, the surgeon uses a wide needle to remove a tissue sample, which helps physicians see what the tissue around the lump looks like.  

Our surgical care team will book a follow-up appointment to discuss next steps with you once the biopsy results are available. We have an expedited process to get the results to you quickly. The whole process usually takes one to three days.

Mammogram or ultrasound

If a physician sees abnormalities on your mammogram or ultrasound but cannot find anything during your breast examination, you may be referred for more breast imaging or a stereotactic (imaging-guided) biopsy.

Surgery

If you need surgery for a tumour, you will come to the hospital on the morning of the surgery. In most instances, you are able to go home the same day. If necessary for medical reasons, you could stay overnight.

Common types of surgery for breast cancer are lumpectomy (removing only the lump), mastectomy (removing the whole breast) and lymph node surgery (removing the underarm lymph nodes).

Your surgeon will discuss which approach is the best option for you. This decision is based on different factors, such as: 

• The size and location of the tumour
• The size of your breast
• If there is cancer and if it has spread to the lymph nodes
• If you have already had any treatments for breast cancer

While planning for your surgery, our care team also helps with arrangements for any special care you might need after surgery.

Learn more about surgical treatments for breast cancer.

After surgery, we send the tumour and the lymph nodes that were removed to the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Department for complete analysis and specialized testing.

You will have an appointment with your surgeon to discuss the results, look at how the surgery site has healed and plan for next steps in your care.  

If you or your family need help in coping with any aspect of diagnosis and treatment, you will be able to access social work services as part of your care at the Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre.

Breast reconstruction

If you need a mastectomy, there are several options for reconstructing your breast after the surgery.

Your breast surgeon or other health care provider can help arrange a consultation with a reconstructive surgeon.

Learn more about the Breast Reconstruction Program.

What to bring

• Health (OHIP) card or valid health-care coverage
• A list of your current medications and supplements (prescription and non-prescription)  
• A list of your current physicians  
• A list of questions you want to ask

If you have already had a mammogram and/or ultrasound outside of Mount Sinai Hospital, bring the results of these tests with you on a CD. You will need to contact the facility where you had these tests done in order to request a CD (this can take few days, so leave enough time before your appointment to obtain it). If you have not already had these tests, we may arrange for you to have them done.

How to access our services

You need a referral from a health-care provider to be seen at the Marvelle Koffler Breast Centre. Visit our referrals criteria for more information.