Mastectomy in Spanish

Types of breast surgery named by MedlinePlus

MedlinePlus says the types of mastectomy differ in the amount of breast tissue and lymph nodes that are removed. A total (simple) mastectomy is the removal of all the breast tissue and nipple of the breast that has cancer. A modified radical mastectomy is the removal of the breast that has cancer, including the nipple, areola, skin over the breast, most of the lymph nodes under the arm, and often the lining over the chest muscles. A lumpectomy is breast-sparing surgery: the tumor and some normal breast tissue around it are removed, but not the breast itself.

What it means

A mastectomy is surgery to remove part or all of the breast. MedlinePlus says it is usually done to treat breast cancer by removing the cancer, and that it may be the first treatment option for some types of breast cancer or done after chemotherapy for other types. For a person at a very high risk for breast cancer, a mastectomy may sometimes be done to reduce the risk. There are different types of mastectomies, and each differs in the amount of breast tissue and lymph nodes that are removed. A total (simple) mastectomy is the removal of all the breast tissue and nipple of the breast that has cancer. Breast reconstruction to rebuild the breast may be done at the same time as the mastectomy or later.

Spanish term: Mastectomía
Gender and article: feminine: la mastectomía
Pronunciation: mahs-tehk-toh-MEE-ah

Mastectomía is a feminine noun that the Real Academia Española dictionary marks as a medical term (Med.), formed from masto- and -ectomía and defined as "extirpación quirúrgica, total o parcial, de la mama." It takes la or una: una mastectomía. The two government sources word their definitions differently. MedlinePlus en español defines the operation as surgery to remove part or all of the seno, while the Spanish dictionary of the National Cancer Institute writes mama (seno).

The type names on MedlinePlus en español are mastectomía total (simple) and mastectomía radical modificada. The breast-sparing operation is tumorectomía, which the page says is also known as lumpectomía. Other words from the same page: cáncer de seno (breast cancer), tejido mamario (breast tissue), ganglios linfáticos (lymph nodes), pezón (nipple), quimioterapia (chemotherapy), radioterapia (radiation therapy) and reconstrucción del seno (breast reconstruction).

Phrases for an appointment

What a patient or a clinician might say, in English and Spanish:

Who	English	Spanish
Clinician	The surgical team is recommending a mastectomy, which is surgery to remove part or all of the breast.	El equipo de cirugía recomienda una mastectomía, que es una cirugía para extirpar parte o la totalidad del seno.
Patient	What type of mastectomy am I going to have?	¿Qué tipo de mastectomía me van a hacer?
Patient	Are the lymph nodes under my arm going to be removed too?	¿También me van a extirpar los ganglios linfáticos de la axila?
Clinician	Some lymph nodes may be removed and checked for cancer.	Es posible que le extirpen algunos ganglios linfáticos para analizarlos en busca de cáncer.
Patient	Can I have breast reconstruction at the same time as the mastectomy?	¿Puedo hacerme la reconstrucción del seno al mismo tiempo que la mastectomía?
Patient	Am I going to need chemotherapy or radiation therapy after the surgery?	¿Voy a necesitar quimioterapia o radioterapia después de la cirugía?
Clinician	Do you have any questions about the surgery before you sign the consent form?	¿Tiene alguna pregunta sobre la cirugía antes de firmar el formulario de consentimiento?
Patient	I had a mastectomy on my left breast three years ago.	Me hicieron una mastectomía del seno izquierdo hace tres años.

In 9 languages

Language	Term
English	Mastectomy
Spanish (Español)	Mastectomía
Chinese (中文)	乳房切除術
Korean (한국어)	유방절제술
Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)	Phẫu thuật cắt bỏ vú
Filipino (Tagalog)	Mastectomy
Portuguese (Português)	Mastectomia
Thai (ภาษาไทย)	การผ่าตัดเต้านม
Japanese (日本語)	乳房切除術

Where you'll see it

operative reportsurgical consent formEOBbilldischarge summary

Related terms

Your right to an interpreter in the United States

If English is not your primary language and you have difficulty communicating in English, you may need an interpreter or a translated document when you visit a doctor or dentist, go to the emergency room or pick up a prescription. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights states that two federal laws, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, require programs that receive its funding to provide language access services free of charge.

You can ask when you make the appointment or at the front desk: "I need an interpreter, please." «Necesito un intérprete, por favor.»

More terms: Reproductive health and pregnancy

All terms in this area: Reproductive health and pregnancy — Salud reproductiva y embarazo

Sources

This page is a language reference. It is not medical advice.