mastectomy
noun
mas·tec·to·my
ma-ˈstek-tə-mē 
plural mastectomies
: surgical removal of all or part of the breast and sometimes associated lymph nodes and muscles
Did you know?
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women. Early cases can often be treated with drugs or with a small operation called a lumpectomy (because it removes a lump). Though a "simple mastectomy" is larger than a lumpectomy, it allows the breast to be reconstructed, using artificial implants or tissue from elsewhere on the body. But "radical mastectomy", which is required when the cancer is at an advanced stage, takes much of the chest muscle and makes reconstruction impossible.
Examples of mastectomy in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Munn said her mother had a double mastectomy, an operation that Munn also had when she was diagnosed.
—
Doha Madani, NBC news, 9 July 2025
The cancer was found in both of her breasts, and Munn’s treatment included a double mastectomy.
—Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 30 June 2025
About a year before that Sutphin had a mastectomy for breast cancer in which her lymph nodes were removed.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2025
Four years after she was diagnosed, in 2022, Hughes opted for a single mastectomy followed by chemotherapy, but in August 2024, doctors found the cancer had spread again.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mastectomy
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Doha Madani, NBC news, 9 July 2025
The cancer was found in both of her breasts, and Munn’s treatment included a double mastectomy.
—Alli Rosenbloom, CNN Money, 30 June 2025
About a year before that Sutphin had a mastectomy for breast cancer in which her lymph nodes were removed.
—Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2025
Four years after she was diagnosed, in 2022, Hughes opted for a single mastectomy followed by chemotherapy, but in August 2024, doctors found the cancer had spread again.
—Rachel Raposas, People.com, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mastectomy
Cite this Entry
“Mastectomy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mastectomy. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
mastectomy
noun
mas·tec·to·my
ma-ˈstek-tə-mē
plural mastectomies
: surgical removal of all or part of the breast and sometimes associated lymph nodes and muscles see modified radical mastectomy, partial mastectomy, radical mastectomy, simple mastectomy
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share