Dr. Singla told that about one million cases of breast cancer are reported in our country every year. While this affects the physical beauty of women, it is also life threatening. The chances of avoiding it are increased in the early stages. Its patients are able to survive for 5 years without treatment.
Recently, while talking to Delhi’s well-known plastic surgeon Dr. Sahil Singla regarding breast augmentation, it was found that the risk of breast cancer (breast cancer) is higher in those women who have heavy breasts. It is treated with chemotherapy and surgical removal of the breast. Plastic surgeons implant a silicone prosthetic in place of the removed breast. Dr. Singla told that about one million cases of breast cancer are reported in our country every year. While this affects the physical beauty of women, it is also life threatening. The chances of avoiding it are increased in the early stages. Its patients are able to survive for 5 years without treatment. To know the reality of this disease, when I contacted breast cancer experts, I came to know-
In cancer, the process of division of the cells developing our body is uncontrolled, the cells formed by infiltrating the normal healthy tissue (tissue) of the body start destroying them. These tissues can be anywhere in the body, so cancer often spreads throughout the body. Cancer is named according to these parts or organs of the body. When it spreads to the breast, it is called breast cancer. Today, cancer is the second leading cause of death (the first being considered to be heart-related diseases) in the world. Till some time ago it was considered incurable, but if it is detected on time, then the person can be saved from death.
Breast cancer, growing in the breast cells of the body, infects its lobules and ducts. In the breast, the lobule is the gland that produces milk and the duct is the passage through which milk comes out of the lobule gland to the nipple. In many cases, the fatty tissue of the breast (fibrous connecting tissue) is also a victim of breast cancer.
Sometimes breast cancer cells travel to the lymph nodes in the arms, the danger is that the lymph nodes are the only route from which cancer cells spread to other parts of the body. It is not necessary that breast cancer occurs only in women, it also flourishes in men.
What symptoms emerge?
It starts with the formation of a small lump (tumor) in the breast, it can be more than one. It is not necessary that all such lumps are cancerous. In most cases these lumps are benign (non-cancerous).
Symptoms of breast cancer depend on the type but there are some that are common to all types of breast cancer, such as lump and pain in the breast, redness and tension in the breast skin (pitid or dimpling breast surface), breast Swelling in all parts, leakage of blood or any other fluid other than milk from the nipple, peeling of the skin of the breast and nipple, sudden change in the size and shape of the breast, inward turning of the nipple, lump and swelling in the armpits.
Note: Having these symptoms does not indicate cancer, in many cases non-cancerous lumps also cause the same symptoms. Often, the combination of severe pain and lump in the breast is suspected of cancer, in such a situation, consult a doctor to be free from worry. In many cases, fluid leakage from the breast nipple is also due to infection.
There are many reasons for breast pain (mestalgia) such as – worsening of hormone levels in the body during menstruation, taking birth control pills, treatment taken for pregnancy, wearing the wrong size bra, cysts in the breast or heavy breasts.
Common causes of benign breast lumps are infection, fibrocystic breast disease, fibroadenoma, and fat necrosis. Complaining of pain in the lump present in the breast is not as dangerous as the formation of a new painless lump. Doctors consider it a common symptom of breast cancer. Apart from this, changes in the shape of the nipples, breast pain after the period, new lumps not ending after the next period, and lumps not being round and having many corners are the initial symptoms of breast cancer.
advanced stage symptoms
The main symptoms of advanced stage of breast cancer are enlargement of only one breast (one breast enlargement), increase in size of pre-formed lump, orange peel texture of breast skin, vaginal pain, sudden weight loss, enlargement of lymph nodes in armpits. And the appearance of veins in the breast.
Breast cancer is rare in men and occurs in old age. Lumps growing in the breast of men are more likely to be cancerous than women.
Who’s more at risk?
The chances of breast cancer increase with age, in most cases women aged 55 or older are victims of breast cancer. Daily drinking, heavy breast, high density of breast tissue, gene mutations called BRCA1 and BRCA2, menstruation at age 12 or younger, giving birth to first child at age 35 or older, hormone therapy, late menopause and never a mother Being pregnant also increases the risk of breast cancer.
How is it confirmed?
For this, in addition to physical examination, doctors resort to mammogram, ultrasound and MRI. When breast cancer is suspected, a biopsy is done to confirm it.
How many types of breast cancer?
It has two types – invasive and noninvasive. Invasive cancer spreads from the breast duct and gland to other parts of the breast while non-invasive cancer does not spread beyond the original tissue.
Ductal carcinoma in situ: It is non-invasive, in which the cancer cells are confined only to the duct of the breast and do not destroy any other part.
Lobular carcinoma in situ: In this non-invasive breast cancer, the cancer grows in the milk producing gland and remains confined there.
Invasive Ductal Carcinoma: It is the most common, growing in the milk duct and spreading to all the surrounding tissue. After reaching the tissue, it engulfs other organs.
invasive lobular carcinomaIn medical language, it is called ILC, it grows in the lobule of the breast and spreads to the surrounding tissues.
Paget’s Disease of the Nipple: It grows from the duct of the nipple and spreads to the breast skin and the area around the nipple (areola).
Philoid’s Tumor: These are the rare ones that grow in the connective tissue of the breast.
Angiosarcoma: It grows in the blood vessels or lymph vessels of the breast.
Inflammatory breast cancer: It is aggressive. In this, the cancer cells block the lymph node around the breast, this obstructs the drain process of the lymph vessels and the patient feels sudden heat with swelling and redness in the breast. Due to this the affected breast becomes like an orange peel.
Triple negative breast cancer: It is also rare, which occurs only in 10-20 percent of patients. It affects the estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2 protein of breast cells. It spreads more rapidly than other cancers.
Metastatic breast cancer: This is the fourth and advanced stage of breast cancer. In this, breast cancer spreads from the breast and spreads to other parts of the body such as the bones, lungs and liver.
How can you avoid breast cancer?
Awareness is its biggest defense, under this, adopt healthy food, avoid daily alcohol consumption, lose weight if you have obesity and do regular exercise. According to a research, the consumption of one drink (30 ml) of alcohol daily increases the risk of breast cancer. Women of 40-49 years of age must get a breast examination done by the doctor once a year, if the doctor asks for a mammograph, then do not ignore it. Women 50-74 years old should have a mammograph test once a year. A mammograph is not required for women over the age of 75.
If one’s parents are suffering from gene mutation named BRCA1 and BRCA2 then definitely tell the doctor while getting the checkup done. If this disorder is found in you too, then the option of prophylactic treatment is available for it.
Check your breasts from time to time. For this, fix one day of the month and then check on the same day every month. If you notice any change or abnormality in the breast, consult a doctor. If any type of breast cancer is detected, start treatment immediately, delay in this can be fatal. According to a 2019 report, about two lakh 40 thousand women in the country died prematurely due to non-treatment of breast cancer on time.
What is its treatment?
The stage, type, size and grade of the lump all matter in the treatment of breast cancer. Doctors choose its treatment keeping all these in mind. In most cases, the treatment is surgery. Apart from surgery, it is also cured by chemotherapy, target therapy, radiation and hormone therapy. Five types of surgeries are done in the treatment of breast cancer-
Lumpectomy: In this the lump and its surrounding tissue are removed, the rest of the breast remains unaffected.
Mastectomy: In this, the surgeon cuts and removes the entire breast. In a double mastectomy, both breasts are removed.
Centnode Biopsy: In this, biopsy is done by taking some lymph nodes from the breast tumor, if cancer cells are not found, then there is no need for further surgery.
Auxiliary lymph node dissection: If the doctor finds cancer cells in a sentinel biopsy, another surgery is needed to remove some more lymph nodes.
Collateral prophylactic mastectomy: In this, to prevent the cancer of one breast from spreading to the other breast, the other healthy breast is surgically removed.
What approach to take?
Breast cancer has negative effects on both the body and the mind. In this, problems such as hair loss, changes in menstruation, night sweats, sudden heat, joint pain, weight gain, vaginal dryness, body swelling, skin changes and infertility during treatment, in such a situation, there are problems like mental The support of family and friends is essential to stay strong. Before treatment, take proper information from the doctor about its effect on the body, so that mental distress can be avoided when any unknown symptom emerges. If the doctor removes the breast for the treatment of cancerous breast, then consult a plastic surgeon about which implant will replace the removed breast. In breast reconstruction, doctors use implants filled with silicone and water in addition to the patient’s breast tissue. Do not allow weight gain after surgery, increase the amount of fruits and vegetables in the diet, reduce sugar intake, drink more water and make regular exercise a habit. If there is a problem of inflammation in the body, then take diuretic medicines with the advice of the doctor. Hair fall in chemotherapy, so get a haircut before therapy.
