Like all surgeries, lumpectomy carries certain risks:
  • Loss of sensation: There is usually some numbness and loss of sensation in part of the breast after lumpectomy, depending on the size of the lump removed. Some or most of this ability to feel can return.
  • Breasts that don’t match exactly: Your breasts may not match precisely in size and shape after surgery. This is because removing breast tissue during surgery usually makes the affected breast appear smaller. You may not know this right away, because swelling in response to surgery may make your breast appear temporarily larger.

Read more about surgery risks.