s cosmetic results are not always excellent.Skin sparing mastectomy-the breast is removed leaving the skin intact. Most of the skin is preserved and ready for an immediate breast reconstruction.-The breast removal can be a total mastectomy or a modified radical mastectomy-This method creates the most normal looking breast with minimal scarsNeither partial nor modified radical mastectomies cause great pain.Permanent or temporary numbness can occur in the underarm if lymph nodes were removed.Modified radical mastectomy-general numbness of chest within area of incision will occur.-Numbness usually disappears within months or sometimes within years-The area may never feel completely normalRemoval of the lymph nodes in the arm has these effects-leaves the arm more vulnerable to infection-does not impair the general immune system -may cause phlebitis a clot developing in the vein of the arm after an incision. This condition is uncomfortable though not serious and usually disappears in four to six weeks-may cause lymphedema, or swelling of the armIn deciding on the correct surgical procedure, two factors should be considered.-the nature of the tumor, its characteristics and stage-your individual preference. How much risk is acceptable for you and your prioritiestumors are classified in five stages.-stage 0: cancers which remain in their site of origin, without spread-stages 1 and 2: small cancers which show a tendency to spread-stage 3 cancers: large (two inches or more), may have spread to the skin, may be inflammatory, may have spread extensively to the lymph nodes.-Stage 4 cancers: cancers which have spread to other parts of the body Stage 0 cancers consist of lobular neoplasm or ductal carcinoma in situ.Lobular neoplasm -Does not need be operated on-must be closely watched because having this condition greatly increases the risk of later developing more serious infiltrating cancer-20 percent of women with this condition develop infiltrati...