When can I drive after a lumpectomy? Talk to your healthcare provider before you begin driving again. In general, you should avoid driving until you no longer need prescription pain medications ...

However, a mastectomy may be required after a lumpectomy if the surgeon couldn't get clear margins or if recurrence or second cancer occurs and a lumpectomy with radiation isn't an option.

Results from both of these studies show that radiation therapy reduces risk for local recurrence of breast cancer after lumpectomy, even in patients who receive adjuvant tamoxifen. However ...