What distinguishes a modified radical mastectomy from a radical mastectomy?
The entire breast is removed during a radical mastectomy as well as a modified radical mastectomy. Some lymph nodes under the arm are removed by the surgeon during a modified radical mastectomy.
The main distinction is that during a radical mastectomy, the surgeon also removes the entire chest muscle in addition to all the lymph nodes beneath the arm.
A total (simple) mastectomy, in contrast, entails the removal of the entire breast. The chest muscles and lymph nodes in the axilla are not removed. The sentinel lymph nodes are occasionally taken out and examined for malignancy.