mastectomy

[ma-stek-tuh-mee]

noun

Surgery.

plural

mastectomies 

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

mastectomy

/ mæˈstɛktəmɪ /

noun

1. the surgical removal of a breast

mastectomy

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.

mastectomy

1. The surgical removal of a breast.

Other Word Forms

• postmastectomy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of mastectomy¹

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

Example Sentences

She said she had a mastectomy after an early cancer diagnosis, with following tests revealing at the time there had been no further spread of the disease.

From BBC

She had a double mastectomy in March and returned to the show in the middle of June.

From Los Angeles Times

Jessie J has posted openly about her experiences of undergoing a mastectomy and received comments in support of her doing so.

From BBC

Soon after delivery, she had a double mastectomy.

From Los Angeles Times

An MRI, further ultrasounds and biopsies revealed she had Stage 1 invasive cancer, and Munn underwent a double mastectomy.

From Los Angeles Times