What patients and caregivers need to know about Breast Cancer, Gynecomastia, Breast Enlargement, and Breast Reduction

Breast Cancer

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Treatment of Breast Cancer in Kolkata

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer among women. As generation to generation and change in life style percentage of breast cancer is increasing. Study reveals that breast cancer is leading cause of death after skin cancer. Breast cancer is seen in both females and males; however, breast cancer is rare in the males.

It should be noted that extensive breast cancer awareness program, research and different levels of knowledge has now increased in public domain. Henceforth, cancer detection at early stage, better cancer treatment will help in better survival for patient.

Our organization is one of the leading cosmetic and laser center in Kolkata that provides quality cancer treatment in terms of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. We also provide breast reconstruction for better cosmetic results.

Our organization has a dedicated team of medical oncologist and onco–surgeons who are are pioneers in the field of breast cancer treatment national and globally. Avail the best quality services and treatments from our organization.

Cause of breast cancers

Exact cause of breast cancer is unknown however, certain factors like:

  • Female: more common in females than male
  • Age: increasing age
  • Hereditary/ Genetic mutation
  • Exposure to thoracic radiation
  • Abuse of alcohol
  • Late pregnancy
  • Late menopause
  • Obesity
  • Smoking
  • Lack of breast feeding
  • Early menarche
  • First degree relatives with breast cancer
  • Hormone replacement therapy

Types of breast cancers

  • Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS): presence of cancer in milk duct of breast
  • Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCI): presence of cancer in milk gland of breast
  • Inflammatory breast cancer
  • Pagets’disease of breast: usually starts from nipple and areola and the skin (skin looks like orange peel)
  • Invasive lobular cancer
  • Angiosarcoma of breast
  • Recurrent breast cancer
  • Male breast cancer

Sign / Symptoms

  • Breast / Armpit lump
  • Unusual feeling and discomforts in breast
  • Change of overlying breast skin like as dimple, multiple spots, multiple pigmentation, scaling, redness, crusting around the nipples
  • Abnormal shape and size of breast
  • Inverted nipples
  • Non healing ulcer
  • Significant weight loss
  • Fall in hemoglobin
  • Malnourishment

Prevention

  • Healthy lifestyle
  • Avoiding alcohol and smoking
  • Regular exercise
  • Maintain proper body mass index (BMI)
  • Healthy diet
  • Breast awareness campaigns
  • Self examination of breast
  • Early screening of breast

Diagnosis

  • Breast examination by doctors
  • Mammography
  • Ultrasound of breast
  • FNAC / Biopsy
  • MRI
  • CT scan
  • PET scan
  • Bone scan
  • Routine blood testing
  • Tumor markers

Staging of breast cancer

After thorough examination followed by investigation, your doctor will decide the protocol of cancer treatment.
The protocol of cancer treatment depends upon the staging of breast cancer. The cancer staging ranges from 0 – 4. As the stages progresses, the cancer becomes more aggressive. For examples; stage 0 means non invasive or localized and stage 4 means metastatic (spreading fast to other parts of the body).

Treatments

Your doctor may consider the modality of treatment (like Surgery or Chemotherapy or Radiation therapy or Hormonal therapy) depending upon the staging and grade of breast cancer.

Surgery: Types of surgery
  • Lumpectomy: removal of lump only
  • BCS: removal of lump followed with proper cosmetic results
  • Mastectomy: removal of entire breast
  • Sentinel Nodal dissection
  • Modified Radical Mastectomy (MRM): removal of entire breast and axillary lymph nodes.
  • Reconstruction Surgery: such as Silicon implants, Free Flap. These process are done for better cosmetic results.
Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is given to kill fast growing cancer cells. Your doctor may recommend Chemotherapy if cancer is spreading fast to other parts of the body. Sometimes chemotherapy is given before the surgery so that the tumor shrink which makes the surgery of cancer easy. Majority of the time Chemotherapy is given to those patients whose cancer have spread to other parts of the body. In such situation, Chemotherapy is recommended to prevent cancer from spreading to other parts of body.

Hormonal Therapy

Your doctor may consider for hormone therapy if breast cancer is ER (Estrogen receptor) and PR (progesterone receptor) positive Main goal of hormonal therapy is to reduces the chances of recurrence of cancer.

Targeted Therapy drugs

Sometimes breast cancer cells are produced abnormal protein like HER 2, which is life threatening and aggressive.
Therefore, targeted therapy drugs are designed to attack such abnormal proteins (HER 2).

Immunotherapy

Sometimes due to breast cancer, immunity system becomes very weak and the immune system will not be able to fight cancer. In such cases Immunotherapy is recommended.

Palliative Treatments

Palliative treatment is a supportive care given to those patient who are in the last stages of cancer that cannot be further treated. This includes team of doctors, nurses and specially treated trained ICU staff.