mastectomy

[ma-stek-tuh-mee]

noun

Surgery.

plural

mastectomies 

1. the operation of removing all or part of the breast or mamma.

mastectomy

/ mæˈstɛktəmɪ /

noun

1. the surgical removal of a breast

mastectomy

1. Surgical removal of all or part of a breast, performed as a treatment for cancer.

2. ◆ A radical mastectomy includes excision of the underlying pectoral muscles and regional lymph nodes.

mastectomy

1. The surgical removal of a breast.

Other Word Forms

• postmastectomy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mastectomy¹

First recorded in 1920–25; mast- + -ectomy

Example Sentences

Breast cancer patients suffered unnecessary mastectomies, delayed diagnoses and a lack of compassionate care at an NHS Trust in north-east England, the BBC has learned.

Read more on BBC

At 17, she was on testosterone, and at 18, she had a double mastectomy.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Having now lost a breast to a mastectomy, she feels betrayed.

Read more on Barron's

Dowden reassured her fans on Monday that her second mastectomy was not related to a "new cancer diagnosis", adding that she wanted to be "clear" and "open" with her followers.

Read more on BBC

After her diagnosis, Dowden had a mastectomy and underwent chemotherapy, with her treatment preventing her from being able to compete with a celebrity partner on the BBC dancing programme that year.

Read more on BBC