Anaesthesia for breast surgery

Abstract

surgery, there are numerous others: for example, benign lump excision, abscess incision and drainage, breast reduction or augmentation, and reconstructive procedures after mastectomy. Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer in women and is responsible for 20% of cancer deaths; its incidence in women > 50 years is 1 in 400 per year. Its prevalence has increased dramatically due to improved survival and introduction of screening programmes. Risk factors for breast cancer include age, environment, earlier menarche and later menopause, age at first pregnancy, family history, previous benign breast disease, radiation, life-style (diet, weight, alcohol intake), oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy. Some 5–8% of breast cancers are genetic, the associated genes being BRCA-1, BRCA-2 and P53.