MedicineNet

Preventive Mastectomy Center - Rapid City, SD

Rapid City Surgeon Doctors for Preventive Mastectomy

Type of Physician: Surgeon

What is a Surgeon?

A certification by the Board of Surgery; practitioners manage a wide range of surgical conditions affecting almost any area of the body. The surgeon provides the diagnosis and the care to patients before, during and after surgery. The surgeon is usually responsible for the comprehensive management of trauma victims and the critically ill. The surgeon has special knowledge and skills in birth defects, tumors, infections and metabolic problems relating to the head and neck, breast, abdomen, extremities including the hand, and the gastrointestinal, vascular and endocrine systems. A general surgeon is expected to be familiar with the most relevant features of other surgical specialties in order to recognize problems in those areas and to know when to refer a patient to another specialist.

Specialty: Surgery

Common Name:

Surgeon Doctors in Rapid City *

Medical Arts Clinic
David D Slama
717 Saint Francis St
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 342-2880

Rapid City Medical Center
John R Bedingfield
2820 Mt Rushmore Rd
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 342-3280

Rapid City Medical Center
Justin L Green
2820 Mt Rushmore Rd
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 342-3280

Rapid City Medical Center
Michael J Statz
2820 Mt Rushmore Rd
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 342-3280

Regional Medical Clinic Surgery
Julie T Raymond
3501 5th St
STE 101
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 719-5700

Regional Medical Clinic Surgery
Wesley L Sufficool
3501 5th St
STE 101
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 719-5700

Regional Medical Clinic Surgery
Larry W Wehrkamp
3501 5th St
STE 101
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 719-5700

Edward J Picardi MD
Edward J Picardi
101 E Minnesota St
STE 220
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605) 342-5573

Queen City Medical Center
Terry Altstiel
949 Harman
Sturgis, SD 57785
(605) 347-2691

Queen City Medical Center
Dean R Quigley
1420 N 10th St
Spearfish, SD 57783
(605) 642-8414

Spearfish Regional Medical Clinic
Steven A Giuseffi
1445 North Ave
STE 2
Spearfish, SD 57783
(605) 644-4170

Rapid City, South Dakota

Upcoming Local Events

2012-06-07
2012-07-04
2012-07-28
2012-09-01
15th Annual Southern Hills Triathlon
Hot Springs, South Dakota
2012-09-09
2012-09-14
2012-10-28
Halloween Sock Hop
Rapid City, South Dakota
2012-11-22
Turkey Trot
Rapid City, South Dakota

Preventive Mastectomy

1. What is preventive mastectomy, and what types of procedures are used in preventive mastectomy?

Preventive mastectomy (also called prophylactic or risk-reducing mastectomy ) is the surgical removal of one or both breasts in an effort to prevent or reduce the risk of breast cancer. Preventive mastectomy involves one of two basic procedures: total mastectomy and subcutaneous mastectomy. In a total mastectomy, the doctor removes the entire breast and nipple. In a subcutaneous mastectomy, the doctor removes the breast tissue but leaves the nipple intact. Doctors most often recommend a total mastectomy because it removes more tissue than a subcutaneous mastectomy. A total mastectomy provides the greatest protection against cancer developing in any remaining breast tissue.

2. Why would a woman consider undergoing preventive mastectomy?

Women who are at high risk of developing breast cancer may consider preventive mastectomy as a way of decreasing their risk of this disease. Some of the factors that increase a woman's chance of developing breast cancer include the following:

  • Previous breast cancer -- A woman who has had cancer in one breast is more likely to develop a new cancer in the opposite breast. Occasionally, such women may consider preventive mastectomy to decrease the chance of developing a new breast cancer.
  • Family history of breast cancer -- Preventive mastectomy may be an option for a woman whose mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer, especially if they were diagnosed before age 50. If multiple family members have breast or ovarian cancer, then a woman's risk of breast cancer may be even higher.
  • Breast cancer-causing gene alteration -- A woman who tests positive for changes, or mutations, in certain genes that increase the risk of breast cancer (such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene) may consider preventive mastec...

Recommended Reading Related to Preventive Mastectomy

Breast Biopsy »

What is a breast biopsy?

A breast biopsy is a procedure in which part or all of a suspicious breast growth is removed and examined, usually for the presence of cancer. The growth sample is suctioned out through a needle or cut out using a surgical procedure. The sample is then examined and evaluated under a microscope by a pathologist to identify non-cancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant) tissue.

Words used to refer to the abnormal area or growth before and after diagnosis may include lump, mass, lesion, and tumor.

What is the purpose of a breast biopsy?

The basic aim of a breast biopsy is to determine whether or not a worrisome lump is cancer and, if it is cancer, what type it is. When no cancer is detected, the diagnosis of a benign or harmless lump is reassuring.

What specialties of physicians and practitioners do breast biopsies?

Many physicians and healthcare practitioners can be invol...

Emergency Contact for Rapid City

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby Rapid City Hospitals *

Regional West Center for Behavioral Health
915 Mountain View Rd
Rapid City, SD 57702
(605)719-7200

Rapid City Regional Hospital
353 Fairmont Blvd
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605)719-1000

Black Hills Rehabilitation Hospital
2908 5th St
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605)719-1100

Rapid City Indian Health Service Hospital
3200 Canyon Lake Dr
Rapid City, SD 57702
(605)355-2500

Sturgis Community Health Care Center
949 Harmon St
Sturgis, SD 57785
(605)347-2536

VA Black Hills Health Care System Fort Meade
113 Comanche Rd
Fort Meade, SD 57741
(605)347-2511

Custer Community Hospital
1039 Montgomery St
Custer, SD 57730
(605)673-2229

Northern Hills General Hospital
61 Charles St
Deadwood, SD 57732
(605)578-2313

*Provider Directory Terms of Use:

The WebMD 'Provider Directory' is provided by WebMD for use by the general public as a quick reference of information about Providers. The Provider Directory is not intended as a tool for verifying the credentials, qualifications, or abilities of any Provider contained therein. Inclusion in the Provider Directory does not imply recommendation or endorsement nor does omission in the Provider Directory imply WebMD disapproval.

You are prohibited from using, downloading, republishing, selling, duplicating, or "scraping" for commercial or any other purpose whatsoever, the Provider Directory or any of the data listings or other information contained therein, in whole or in part, in any medium whatsoever.

The Provider Directory is provided on an "AS-IS" basis. WebMD disclaims all warranties, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for particular purpose. Without limiting the foregoing, WebMD does not warrant or represent that the Provider Directory or any part thereof is accurate or complete. You assume full responsibility for the communications with any Provider you contact through the Provider Directory. WebMD shall in no event be liable to you or to anyone for any decision made or action taken by you in the reliance on information provided in the Provider Directory.

The use of WebMD Provider Directory by any entity or individual to verify the credentials of Providers is prohibited. The database of Provider information which drives WebMD Provider Directory does not contain sufficient information with which to verify Provider credentials under the standards of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) of the Utilization Review Accreditation Committee (URAC).

By using the WebMD Provider Directory, you agree to these Terms and Conditions.