What is the difference between breast internal medicine and breast surgery?

Generally, there are certain differences between breast internal medicine and breast surgery in terms of definition and specialty areas, diagnostic methods, treatment approaches, diseases treated, and prognosis. A detailed analysis is as follows:

1. Definition and Specialty Areas: Breast internal medicine, as a branch of internal medicine, specializes in non-surgical treatment and subsequent management of breast-related diseases. It covers non-surgical treatments such as diagnosis of breast diseases, drug therapy, endocrine therapy, and targeted therapy. Breast surgery, as a branch of surgical specialties, focuses on surgical treatment of breast diseases, including surgical removal of benign and malignant breast tumors, breast reconstructive surgery, and surgical treatment of breast inflammation.

2. Diagnostic Methods: Breast internal medicine typically uses physical examination, breast ultrasound, and mammography for diagnosis. In addition to these methods, breast surgery can also employ breast biopsy and excision of breast masses for diagnosis.

3. Treatment Methods: Breast internal medicine primarily utilizes drug therapy, endocrine therapy, targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy—non-surgical treatment modalities aimed at controlling disease progression, alleviating symptoms, and improving patients' quality of life through medications or other non-invasive means. Breast surgery mainly involves surgical treatment by removing benign or malignant tumors to achieve therapeutic goals. Additionally, breast surgery includes post-operative rehabilitation and comprehensive treatment planning.

4. Diseases Treated: Breast internal medicine primarily manages non-neoplastic breast diseases such as mastopathy, mastitis, breast cysts, and fibroadenomas. It also oversees further treatment after breast cancer surgery, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and endocrine therapy. Breast surgery covers a broad range of conditions, including benign breast diseases such as mastopathy and mastitis, as well as malignant diseases such as ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive breast cancer. Breast surgeons perform radical surgeries for breast cancer, breast-conserving surgeries, and breast reconstructive procedures.

5. Prognosis: The prognosis in breast internal medicine is generally favorable, with improved quality of life achievable through non-surgical treatments and follow-up management. The prognosis in breast surgery usually depends on the severity of the disease and the effectiveness of the surgical intervention. Failure to pursue timely and appropriate treatment may lead to disease progression and, in severe cases, the development of breast cancer.

In summary, breast internal medicine and breast surgery differ significantly in multiple aspects. Therefore, patients should choose the appropriate department based on their specific condition and the departmental structure of the hospital to receive more precise and effective treatment.