Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRecovery TimeWound CareTimelineWhen to Seek Emergency CareTipsNext Steps
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Recovery Time
Wound Care
Timeline
When to Seek Emergency Care
Tips
Next Steps
Most people recover from lumpectomy surgery in around two weeks, though this can vary depending on the extent of the surgery and your overall health.You may be able to resume normal activities within a few days, though you will need to limit the use of your arm on the side where you had the surgery.
A lumpectomy often does not require a hospital stay. While less severe than removing the entire breast, however, a lumpectomy is still a major procedure.
Sorrasak Jar Tinyo / Getty Images
Lumpectomy Recovery Time
A lumpectomy is generally easier to recover from than a mastectomy, but you can still expect to need a few days of rest immediately after the procedure. As long as you avoid overusing the affected side, you may be able to resume normal activities a few days after the procedure.
If your surgery involved the removal of multiple lymph nodes or included cosmetic reconstruction, it may take a few weeks or longer before you are fully recovered.
How long should I take off work after a lumpectomy?You may be able to go back to work a few days after a lumpectomy, but this will depend on the type and extent of the surgery and what kinds of activities you are required to do at work. Your healthcare provider will likely recommend that you avoid lifting heavy objects on your affected side for at least one month after surgery.
How long should I take off work after a lumpectomy?
You may be able to go back to work a few days after a lumpectomy, but this will depend on the type and extent of the surgery and what kinds of activities you are required to do at work. Your healthcare provider will likely recommend that you avoid lifting heavy objects on your affected side for at least one month after surgery.
Here are common instructions for wound care after a lumpectomy:
Sometimes, it’s necessary to return home with asurgical drainin your breast area or armpit until the first follow-up visit. If this occurs, you will receive instructions on emptying the fluid from the detachable drain bulb a few times a day.
When can I drive after a lumpectomy?Talk to your healthcare provider before you begin driving again. In general, you should avoid driving until you no longer need prescription pain medications and you can move your arm without experiencing pain. This may take between a few days and a few weeks.
When can I drive after a lumpectomy?
Talk to your healthcare provider before you begin driving again. In general, you should avoid driving until you no longer need prescription pain medications and you can move your arm without experiencing pain. This may take between a few days and a few weeks.
Recovery Timeline
Immediately After Surgery
You will awaken in a recovery room and remain there until the anesthesia wears off. Your blood pressure, breathing, and heart rate will be monitored until your healthcare team decides that a responsible person can take you home.
Most people go home on the same day of surgery. However, staying one or two nights in the hospital is not uncommon if your surgery was complex or included breast reconstruction.
First 2 to 3 Days After Surgery
In the first days after surgery, your priority is to rest so you can regain the strength you need to heal and return to normal activities.
You will have a dressing placed over the incision to help protect it. You can expect somepostsurgical pain, pinching, and numbness in your breast and/or underarm area (if lymph nodes were removed during surgery). Your surgeon will likely prescribe medications for pain and possibly an antibiotic to help prevent infection.
Before you go home, you will also receive detailed instructions on how to care for your wounds. It’s important to follow the specific, personalized instructions given to you. Make sure you and anyone assisting you fully understand the instructions.
2 Weeks After Surgery
Many people can resume activities that do not involve lifting after only a few days, but it may take up to two weeks depending on the extent of the surgery and your overall health.
Because your body is still healing, however, you may still need to use Tylenol (acetaminophen) ornonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to relieve pain. Some people also continue to experience an itching or crawling sensation as nerves in the affected area regrow.
You can expect to have a follow-up appointment with yourbreast cancer surgeonoroncologist(a specialist who diagnoses and treats cancer) one to two weeks after your surgery. At that time, you will hear about your pathology results from the tissue removed during your lumpectomy. Your healthcare provider will also discuss your post-surgery treatment plan. This may involve consultations with other specialists.
6 to 12 Weeks After Surgery
If you are advised to haveradiation therapyafter a lumpectomy, this treatment usually begins between six and 12 weeks after your lumpectomy. This allows for complete healing of the incision and the affected area before radiation is used.
Radiation therapy helps destroy any undetectable cancer cells that may remain in the breast. This reduces the risk of cancer recurring or spreading outside the breast to the lymph nodes. Damaging undetectable cancer cells with radiation interferes with their ability to grow and multiply in the same breast where the lumpectomy was performed.
Depending on your age and disease characteristics, you may receive one of the following types of radiation therapy:
If you are having chemotherapy, radiation therapy is usually delayed until after this treatment is complete. Other treatments, like hormone therapy or HER2 targeted therapy, may be administered with radiation.
What type of radiation therapy is used after a lumpectomy?
3 to 4 Months After Surgery
Surgical wound infectioncan occur at any time during the initial healing process, which can take up to six weeks. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you notice any of the following physical problems orsigns of infection:
Recovery Tips
Coping with your physical recovery can require that you do the following:
Coping with your emotional recovery can be more complex and extend well past your physical recovery. Feelings ofdepression, loneliness, anger, andanxietyare common, no matter how good your disease outlook is.
Here are some ways to cope as you recover from a lumpectomy:
Many resources can help you manage lifestyle issues related to your diagnosis and treatment. This may include childcare, care for your aging parents, and transportation. Ask your healthcare team for referrals to groups in your area.
Lumpectomy Recovery SuppliesMany people find it helpful to have a bag of supplies prepared before surgery. A recovery supply basket also makes a thoughtful gift for someone who is about to undergo a lumpectomy. Recovery supplies include items like:Comfortable clothing such as soft pajamas, loose-fitting shirts, slip-on shoes, and yoga pantsA support pillowA phone chargerA notebook and pen for tracking medication times, questions, and other notesDry shampoo and shower wipes
Lumpectomy Recovery Supplies
Many people find it helpful to have a bag of supplies prepared before surgery. A recovery supply basket also makes a thoughtful gift for someone who is about to undergo a lumpectomy. Recovery supplies include items like:Comfortable clothing such as soft pajamas, loose-fitting shirts, slip-on shoes, and yoga pantsA support pillowA phone chargerA notebook and pen for tracking medication times, questions, and other notesDry shampoo and shower wipes
Many people find it helpful to have a bag of supplies prepared before surgery. A recovery supply basket also makes a thoughtful gift for someone who is about to undergo a lumpectomy. Recovery supplies include items like:
Next Steps After Lumpectomy
The follow-up to yourlumpectomywill depend on the details of your surgery and your overall condition. No two lumpectomy procedures are the same or require the same type of ongoing treatment.
Summary
A lumpectomy—also called breast-conserving surgery or partial mastectomy—removes a lump or tumor in the breast. It is often used in the early stages of cancer when the tumor is confined to the breast and hasn’t spread.
This technique is less extreme than taking the whole breast. It provides the same, if not better, chances of survival after treatment. Healing and returning to normal routines take about two weeks. This can vary based on many factors like tumor stage, size, and the type of technique performed.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Cancer Society.Breast-conserving surgery (lumpectomy).
Breastcancer.org.Recovery from lumpectomy: What to expect.
Brigham and Women’s Hospital.Post-operative activity guidelines and exercises.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.About your lumpectomy.
American Cancer Society.Radiation for breast cancer.
Boniface J de, Szulkin R, Johansson ALV.Survival after breast conservation vs mastectomy adjusted for comorbidity and socioeconomic status: a swedish national 6-year follow-up of 48 986 women. JAMA Surg. 2021;156(7):628-637. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2021.1438
Breastcancer.org.Lumpectomy.
Living Beyond Breast Cancer.Managing the emotional effects of breast cancer.
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