Breast Surgery

Dr Dunkley offers supportive treatment and surgery for a range of breast conditions. This includes all types of breast cancer and many other benign breast conditions that cause pain and discomfort in women. 

Breast Surgery Mildura Surgical Group Dr Margaret Dunkley Surgeon.

About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in Australia with 1 in 7 women (and 1 in 700 men) diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Discovering a lump or noticing changes in your breasts can be upsetting for you and your family. Even though you may know someone who has been through it, being diagnosed with breast cancer can be isolating, particularly for women in rural and regional areas.

Dr Dunkley provides specialised breast cancer care for patients in and around Mildura. She will help guide your decisions and offer the highest standard of surgical and medical treatment. You will also be supported by Louise James, a McGrath Breast Care Nurse based at Mildura Base Hospital, who supports patients and their families in Sunraysia, Mildura and surrounding districts.

For many patients, being able to have their surgery in Mildura, without the need to travel and stay far away from home and family, takes away a lot of the stress associated with breast cancer treatment. Dr Dunkley’s priority is to make you feel comfortable and offer a supportive environment where you can ask questions and understand all the steps involved in your treatment and care.

Types of breast cancer

Breast cancer is when cells in your breast tissue start to grow abnormally. There are different types and subtypes of breast cancer and your treatment will depend on the type of cancer you have and how it has grown.

For more resources and information about the different types of breast cancer visit Breast Cancer Network Australia.

Signs and symptoms of breast cancer

Everyone’s breasts are different and breast cancer symptoms can vary widely. While some women have no symptoms, other women may notice lumps, pain, skin changes or nipple discharge. Being breast aware and knowing what to look for is important.

If you are worried about changes in your breasts, you should visit your GP as soon as possible. Most breast changes are not related to cancer. Your GP will be able to talk to you about potential causes and arrange further tests if needed. 

To learn more about the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, or to make an appointment for free breast screening, visit Breast Screen Victoria.

Breast cancer surgery

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, your treatment may include a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy depending on the type of cancer, size, location and stage. Before planning any surgery, Dr Dunkley will meet with you to discuss the results of your previous tests and explain your options. The main types of surgery include:

Breast conserving surgery

  • Surgery to remove the tumour and some of the healthy tissue around it is called a lumpectomy or wide local excision.

  • Dr Dunkley will perform this surgery under general anaesthetic – usually as day surgery.

  • A pathologist will then examine the tissues to gain more information about the size, type and grade of cancer.

  • Results from pathology tests will guide Dr Dunkley about whether further surgery is needed to remove more tissue (re-excision or wider excision) or the whole breast (mastectomy).

  • After any tumour/s are removed, radiation therapy is usually recommended to destroy any remaining cancer cells.

Mastectomy

  • Surgery to remove the whole breast is called a single mastectomy (one breast) or double mastectomy (both breasts).

  • There are many reasons why a mastectomy may be recommended and Dr Dunkley will discuss these with you in detail prior to your surgery. 

  • The surgery is performed under general anaesthetic. You will need to stay in hospital for a few days for recovery and treatment.  

  • The nipple is usually removed in a mastectomy. In some cases (eg if you decide to have a later reconstruction surgery) a skin-sparing or nipple-sparing mastectomy can be performed to conserve more of the normal skin.

  • If you don’t have a reconstruction, you may decide to wear a soft breast and a specially designed bra that our breast cancer nurse will help you with.

Breast reconstruction

  • Breast reconstruction is surgery to make a new breast shape, using an implant or tissue from another part of your body.

  • Dr Dunkley will discuss your options for reconstructive surgery at your initial appointment and make referrals as needed.

Lymph node removal – axillary surgery

  • Cancer cells that form in the breast tissues may spread to the axillary lymph nodes in and around the armpit first.

  • Depending on the results from your scans Dr Dunkley may perform additional procedures to either check or remove the lymph nodes in the armpit

  • A sentinel node biopsy is surgery to remove the lymph nodes the breast tissue drains into first for further testing. The pathology results will determine if you need to have further surgery to remove the lymph glands in the armpit.

  • Further surgery to remove lymph glands in the armpit is called axillary node clearance or axillary lymph node dissection.

Benign breast conditions

Many other benign conditions can cause pain and other symptoms in your breasts. Dr Dunkley also supports patients who need surgery for:

Benign breast lumps

Fibroadenoma are non-cancerous breast lumps that can be painful and change the appearance of your breast.

Benign breast cysts

Fluid filled lumps in the breast tissue are common in women aged 30-50 and can be removed with surgery if they are causing pain or discomfort.

Nipple discharge

It is common for women who are not pregnant or breastfeeding to have nipple discharge that is not related to cancer. Dr Dunkley can perform surgery to remove one or all of the ducts under the nipple.

Most breast changes are not related to cancer however if you are worried about changes in your breasts, you should visit your GP as soon as possible.