There are certain people on whom the mastectomy surgery is recommended by the doctor to be performed like:

• If the tumor in your breast is larger than about 5 cm. Some tumors that are lesser than this measure might also need the surgery performed to remove it.

• If other procedures like a lumpectomy (this takes a certain amount of tissue from your breast) are not suitable for you because you have small breasts, then the procedure of mastectomy is advised.

• If you have previously undergone lumpectomies and the tumor or cancerous cells have not been completely removed by other procedures.

• If radiation treatment is not an option for you because of previous radiation attempts in the same breast, or because you are suffering from a form of connective tissue disease (like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus) or if you are pregnant.

• If you do not want to undergo daily radiation treatments.

The average cost of Mastectomy surgery in India is about USD 3000 to  USD 4000. This is again mainly dependent on the hospital and the surgeon that you or your doctor chooses to have the surgery performed. The post-operation medication will also be an additional cost to keep in mind. A higher end hospital will cost more.

India has become a place that is frequented by medical tourists from western countries. This is mainly because the cost of the surgery in India is low when compared to those countries and India is also a developing country with high medical and hygiene standards that are on par with the world’s best medical centers. The cost of food and medicines are also low in India, especially if you are a foreign traveler who has come to India only for having this procedure done. There are many facilities for boarding and lodging.

There are many types of mastectomy surgeries that are performed in India; some of them are as follows:

• Simple Mastectomy: This is also called the whole mastectomy procedure. This is where the entire breast tissue is removed. The auxiliary contacts are not disturbed in this surgery. This surgery is also done on both the breasts simultaneously, if the patient opts for it as a preventative measure against cancer. Reconstruction is usually done after this to make the breast with artificial elements like silicon.

• Lumpectomy: In this procedure, the tumour, as well as a small amount of the surrounding cells, are also removed. Lymph nodes may or may not be removed in this type of surgery. This is usually performed if the lump is easily identified by the doctor and can be easily removed. Multiple Lumpectomy procedures can be performed on the same breast tissue.

• Partial Mastectomy: In this type of surgery a considerably large amount of breast tissue is removed. Some amount of skin is also removed along with the tumor. This will also include the removal of the chest muscle lining near the tumor along with some lymph nodes.

• Modified radical Mastectomy: In this, the complete breast tissue is removed. The auxiliary contents like the lymph nodes and the fatty tissue are also removed. But the muscles in the pectoral region are not removed.

• Radial Mastectomy: In this, the complete tissue of the breast is removed along with the auxiliary contents and also the pectoral region muscles are also removed. This is also called as the Halsted mastectomy. This surgery completely disfigures the breast and is recommended only if there are cancerous cells in the pectoral region.

• Skin Sparing Mastectomy – This is one of the most common mastectomy procedures in recent years conducted by surgeons. In this the breast tissue is removed through a cut in the areola. This is usually meant only for people who have only breast cancer and not cancer of the skin as well. This is a procedure that has very less scarring after the surgery, and the breast can also be reconstructed once the surgery is done. This reconstruction is an option that is left to the patient.

• Subcutaneous mastectomy – This particular procedure is also referred to as the nipple-sparing mastectomy procedure. In this particular variety of the procedure, the nipple, as well as the areola complex, is left unharmed but the breast tissue is still removed. The reconstruction of the breast after this surgery is easier as the nipples and areolas are left intact. The overlying skin is also left in this surgery. Unfortunately, because of the leaving of some cells near the areolas and the nipples, some amount of cancer cells may still remain in the breast.

Some of the leading hospitals in the field of Breast Cancer Treatment in India are:

• Fortis hospital – Bangalore, Bannerghatta branch.

• We Care Cancer center – New Delhi.

• Breast care clinic – Ahmedabad.

• Tata Memorial Hospital – Mumbai.

• Max healthcare – New Delhi

• Apollo CBCC Cancer care center – Ahmedabad.

• Adyar Cancer Institute – Chennai.

• (AIIMS) All India Institute of Medical Sciences – New Delhi.

The best cities in India for the Mastectomy procedure are the state capital cities as well as the metropolitan cities like New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata and so on. It is easy to find affordable places to stay for a while in these cities as well. Since they are important cities, their local network and transport are also very well developed. They also have international airports for the people who are coming from different countries.

• Dr. Sandeep Nayak – Oncologist with extensive experience with laparoscopy as well as a robotic cancer treatment.

• Dr. Rajeev Agarwal – Director, department of breast services, Medanta hospital, Gurugram, with several successful cancer detections under his belt.

• Dr. Kanchan Kaur – experienced oncologist with more than 12 years of experience in the field of oncology.

• Dr. Nikhilesh Borkar – a very experienced surgical oncologist who has a fellowship from the breast and oncoplastic surgery department of Cambridge, UK.