A modified radical mastectomy is a procedure that removes the entire breast — including the skin, breast tissue, areola, and nipple — along with most of your underarm lymph nodes. However, your chest muscles are left intact.

The MRM procedure is a standard option for treating breast cancer. Other surgical options include:

• simple or total mastectomy
• radical mastectomy
• partial mastectomy
• nipple-sparing (subcutaneous mastectomy)
• skin-sparing mastectomy
• lumpectomy (breast conservation therapy)