Editing Mastectomy (section)

===After surgery===
Prior to leaving the hospital, people who have had a mastectomy will typically be given a prescription for pain medication to ameliorate any pain or discomfort at the surgery site.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Mastectomy: What to Expect |url=https://www.breastcancer.org/treatment/surgery/mastectomy/what-to-expect#section-after-mastectomy-surgery |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=www.breastcancer.org}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=What is a Mastectomy? {{!}} American Cancer Society |url=https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/treatment/surgery-for-breast-cancer/mastectomy.html |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=www.cancer.org |language=en}}</ref> Recognizing signs of a surgical site infection including fever, redness, swelling, or pus is important. Any signs of infection should be reported to and assessed by a medical professional. In addition, signs of [[lymphedema]] due if lymph node removal is performed during mastectomy may be detected by the presence of heaviness, tightness, or fullness in the hand, arm, or axillary area region.<ref name=":1" />

Regarding return to activity, it is advised not to engage in strenuous activity or lift objects above 5 pounds for up to six weeks after a mastectomy at the discretion of the physician.<ref name=":1" /> However, it is common for a member of the medical team to provide home exercises designed to maintain arm and shoulder movement and flexibility. Walking is also highly encouraged and allowed immediately after surgery. Most people who undergo a mastectomy can return to work and other regular physical activities in approximately 4 weeks after surgery.<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is a Mastectomy? |url=https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/breast-cancer/treatment/surgery-for-breast-cancer/mastectomy.html |access-date=2025-02-11 |website=www.cancer.org |language=en}}</ref>

People who have had a mastectomy will usually have a post-operative follow-up visit with their provider 1–2 weeks after surgery.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":2" /> The time at which a person can start to wear a bra or reconstructive breast varies and is often at the discretion of the physician.<ref name=":2" />

Some people with breast cancer may require additional [[Radiation therapy|radiotherapy]] after their mastectomy procedure with the goal of reducing the risk of the cancer returning to the lymph nodes and the tissue remaining in the wall of the person's chest.<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal |last1=Verma |first1=Rashmi |last2=Chandarana |first2=Mihir |last3=Barrett |first3=Jessica |last4=Anandadas |first4=Carmel |last5=Sundara Rajan |first5=Sreekumar |date=2023-06-16 |editor-last=Cochrane Breast Cancer Group |title=Post-mastectomy radiotherapy for women with early breast cancer and one to three positive lymph nodes |journal=Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews |language=en |volume=2023 |issue=6 |pages=CD014463 |doi=10.1002/14651858.CD014463.pub2 |pmc=10275354 |pmid=37327075}}</ref> The decision by the medical team for suggesting radiotherapy may differ between individual professionals.<ref name=":4" /> Most teams recommend radiotherapy after a masectomy for people who are at a higher risk of cancer recurrence including those with large breast tumours (5&nbsp;cm and larger) and people with cancer that has spread to multiple [[axillary lymph nodes]] (4 or more).<ref name=":4" /> The necessity and usefulness of radiotherapy on people at slightly lower risk, for example, the cancer has spread to 1-3 axillary lymph nodes, is not as clear.<ref name=":4" />