How much does breast lump removal (excision) cost privately in the UK? (2026)

Private breast lump removal excises a benign or uncertain lump, such as a fibroadenoma, through a small cut, usually after imaging and a needle biopsy, and may be done under local or general anaesthetic.

We did not find a reliable published price list for breast lump removal (excision), so this guide gives no pounds-and-pence figure. Prices vary widely between hospitals and clinicians, and any number quoted without a named source should be treated with caution.

After anaesthetic, a small cut is made close to the lump, which is removed together with a margin of tissue and sent to the laboratory. The wound is closed with stitches placed beneath the skin when possible.

Because the result may change what happens next, ask who will give you the histology result and how follow-up works if it is not what you expected.

A breast lump is normally assessed with examination, imaging by ultrasound or mammogram, and a needle biopsy, known as triple assessment. Many lumps, such as fibroadenomas and cysts, turn out to be benign and may simply be monitored.

Removal is usually offered if a lump is growing, painful or of uncertain nature. Because a breast lump can occasionally be cancer, a rapid assessment through the NHS urgent pathway is the safest first step for anyone who has found a new lump.

The headline figure hides several moving parts. In the case of breast lump removal (excision), the following tend to decide where a quote lands.

• Triple assessment first: examination, imaging and needle biopsy are usually completed before surgery and charged separately.

• Anaesthetic: local anaesthetic is cheaper than general.

• Size, location and need for marking: a lump that cannot be felt may need a wire or marker placed beforehand.

• Histology of the removed lump.

• Surgeon and hospital fees.

A fixed price is only as useful as its small print. Here is how the common items tend to divide between included and extra.

Insurers usually cover assessment and removal of breast lumps, with authorisation, but not purely cosmetic reasons.

Insured patients should confirm the benefit limit, the excess and whether the consultant is on the insurer list. Self-funders can compare a fixed package price against an itemised estimate, and ask whether credit is available.

NHS breast clinics assess lumps through one-stop services, and many benign lumps are monitored rather than removed.

If you are weighing private against NHS care, remember that NHS referral gives you a right to choose a provider in England and an 18-week standard for non-urgent treatment. Check current waits in your area before deciding.

You can usually return to work within days, wearing a supportive bra and avoiding strenuous exercise until healing.

Ask your provider to explain, in writing if possible, what is covered if the course of care changes.

• Surgery can leave a scar or a change in breast contour, and an unexpected cancer result changes the treatment pathway and cost substantially.

• A new lump needs prompt assessment, and a GP can refer on the urgent suspected cancer pathway.

Ask each provider for an itemised written estimate, then put them side by side. These questions are specific to this procedure.

• What tests are needed first and what do they cost?

• Is local anaesthetic possible?

• Is histology included?

• How is an unexpected result handled?

• Is the consultant fee, anaesthetist fee and hospital fee shown separately, and are any of them estimated rather than fixed?