Generally speaking, primary surgery for breast cancer is ideally done between 31 and 90 days, and no longer than 8 weeks, after receiving a diagnosis. This allows for thorough testing and decision making without affecting outlook.

Surgery is a very common treatment for breast cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), most people with nonmetastatic breast cancer will have some type of surgery, often in addition to other treatments.

If you or a loved one has recently received a diagnosis of breast cancer, you may be wondering exactly how urgent surgery is. It’s possible that delays in surgery can affect breast cancer outcomes.

There’s no standard for how soon you should have surgery after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis. And there’s always going to be some amount of time between diagnosis and surgery for preoperative tests.

Delays in having surgery, however, can affect breast cancer outcomes. A longer delay could potentially lead to the growth or progression of your cancer.

A 2023 study looked at time to primary breast surgery in 373,334 women with breast cancer who received diagnoses between 2010 and 2014.

The researchers found that overall survival was lower for surgeries that occurred more than 8 weeks after diagnosis, though they also noted that several factors beyond scheduling could impact timing.

How long is too long?

Generally speaking, it’s ideal to keep the time to surgery as short as you can while considering necessary preoperative tests and decision making.

But research on this topic is conflicting. For example, a study from 2022 found that the outlook for people with breast cancer may not be affected until time to surgery passes 60 days.

A 2018 research review examined older studies on how the time to treatment affected outlook. Based on the findings, the author noted that a time from diagnosis to surgery of less than 90 days may be optimal for outlook.

Yet another 2020 study suggests that a longer time to first treatment, defined as 31 to 90 days, may promote more thorough diagnostic testing and decision making without compromising survival.

Primary goals of breast cancer surgery

The overall goals of surgery for breast cancer are to remove the tumor and to prevent the cancer from coming back (recurring).

For more information on breast cancer treatments, check out these articles:

Receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer and preparing for surgery can be overwhelming. It’s important to get all the facts about the treatments that are recommended for you.

Here are some conversation-starting questions to ask your care team:

  • What type or types of surgery do you recommend for my cancer? Why?
  • Can I choose not to have surgery? If so, what are my treatment options?
  • If I choose to have surgery, how soon do I need to have it?
  • Will I need to receive any treatment prior to my surgery? If so, what are the options?
  • Will lymph nodes be removed as part of my surgery?
  • How long will the surgery take?
  • What will recovery after the surgery be like?
  • Does this surgery affect how treatable my cancer is and the likelihood of it recurring?
  • How will my breasts look and feel after the surgery? Will I have a scar, and if so, what will it look like?
  • What are the potential risks and side effects of this surgery?
  • Will physical therapy be recommended as a part of my recovery?
  • Is there anything I can do to prepare for my surgery and recovery period?
  • When will I need to speak with a doctor for follow-up visits?
  • Will I need additional treatments after my surgery? If so, what do you recommend?
  • Is breast reconstruction surgery an option for me?
  • Will my insurance cover the costs of the surgery and breast reconstruction?

There’s a lot of information to cover when it comes to breast cancer surgery. It may be helpful to take notes during your appointments so that you can reference them later.

Also consider bringing a friend or loved one. They might have additional questions or remind you of those you forgot to ask.

While time to surgery can affect the outlook for people with breast cancer, many other factors are also important. These include:

Every person undergoing treatment for breast cancer is different. A healthcare team will consider all of the above factors to help give you an idea of your outlook.

Is one type of breast cancer surgery more common?

Many people with breast cancer have breast-conserving surgery (BCS), especially if the cancer is in an early stage.

However, rates of mastectomy, specifically contralateral (double) mastectomy, are increasing, especially in younger people. According to the ACS, this increasing trend may be because of:

  • concerns about cancer recurrence
  • reservations about receiving radiation therapy
  • a desire for breast symmetry

Is a mastectomy better than breast-conserving surgery?

Older landmark research from 2002 that was originally done in the 1970s found that people with early stage breast cancer who had a mastectomy and those who had BCS had a similar long-term overall survival.

More recent studies have found that BCS with radiation therapy is associated with improved survival in this group.

However, at the end of the day, the surgery you opt for is based on multiple factors, including:

  • characteristics of the cancer
  • overall health
  • personal preference

Should you get a second opinion before having surgery?

It’s important to gather all the facts before making treatment decisions for breast cancer.

A second opinion can help you make an informed decision and consider potential treatment alternatives and their risks and benefits.

The ACS notes that you often have time to consider your treatment options and make decisions about them. However, decisions need to be made more quickly for aggressive cancers.

A healthcare team can give you a better idea of the timeframe.

How long does treatment for breast cancer typically take?

The time it takes to treat breast cancer can vary greatly based on several factors. These include:

  • type and stage of cancer
  • type or types of treatment recommended
  • how the cancer responds to treatment

Once you decide on a treatment plan, a healthcare team can give you an idea of what to expect as far as timing goes.

Surgery is one of the main treatment options for breast cancer. The time between diagnosis and surgery can affect the outlook for people with breast cancer.

Generally speaking, it’s ideal to have your surgery promptly after your diagnosis, as is reasonable. Some research has shown that delays of up to 8 weeks shouldn’t compromise outlook.

Making treatment decisions after a breast cancer diagnosis can feel overwhelming, but it’s important to get as much information as you can. Be sure to raise your questions and concerns to your healthcare team as they come up.