mastectomy

American  

[ma-stek-tuh-mee] / mæˈstɛk tə mi /

noun

Surgery.

mastectomies plural

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

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mastectomy British  

/ mæˈstɛktəmɪ /

noun

1. the surgical removal of a breast

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mastectomy Scientific  

/ mă-stĕk′tə-mē /

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.

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mastectomy Cultural  

1. The surgical removal of a breast.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• postmastectomy
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• mastectomies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of mastectomy

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

Example Sentences

A mastectomy alone can take a few months, and reconstruction can take up to a year to settle.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2026

Along with routine screening through mammography or MRI, some individuals with inherited genetic mutations that greatly increase breast cancer risk may choose preventive surgery, including prophylactic mastectomy.

From Science Daily • Jun. 6, 2026

Even with those limitations, the researchers concluded, "Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher occurrence of moderate to severe postoperative pain and increased opioid consumption in patients undergoing unilateral modified radical mastectomy."

From Science Daily • May 20, 2026

Then, in 2024, Munn revealed she had been diagnosed the previous year with an aggressive form of breast cancer and had undergone multiple surgeries and a double mastectomy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

I ask your support for bipartisan legislation to guarantee that a woman can stay in the hospital for 48 hours after a mastectomy.

From State of the Union Address by Clinton, William Jefferson