It is a surgical procedure to remove the breast cancer and some normal tissue around it, but not the breast itself. Some lymph nodes under the arm may be removed for biopsy. Part of the chest wall lining may also be removed if the cancer is near it. It is also called breast-sparing surgery.

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) is a good option for many women with early-stage cancers. Number of conditions must be fulfilled to treat a breast cancer with BCS:

• The tumour should be small (<5 cm), localized and monocentric
• The patient should be younger in age
• Treatment should be carried in specialized healthcare centre
• Patient is willing to have radiation therapy and have access to it
• Patient should not have scleroderma, BRCA or ATM mutation and an inflammatory breast cancer

Before BCS, Dr. Naresh might order routine blood tests, an ECG and Chest x-ray to be done before 1 week of the surgery. The patient may bathe or shower with soap the night before or the morning of surgery. The patient will not be allowed to eat or drink anything 8-10 hours prior to surgery. He might also ask to stop few medications like diuretics or diabetes medications, anticoagulants, vitamins or herbal remedies, anti-inflammatory medicines, etc. Dr. Naresh will also counsel the patient regarding the expected change in shape of the breast after the surgery and options regarding reconstructive surgery.

Breast conservation surgery is done under general anesthesia.