Cancer

Rama Sivaram, breast cancer survivor and now patient counsellor talks about the issues of sexual wellbeing brought about by breast cancer and its treatment and how couples can bring back intimacy into their relationship “My coming of age was celebrated with such pomp and grandeur; I was just 13. I suddenly transitioned from being a girl child to woman physically, sexually and spiritually. On one hand I was embarrassed and scared and on the other rite of passage is a milestone –a social message…

Concerns regarding sexual health are quite common among patients who have undergone cancer treatment, but rarely are these concerns addressed by their medical care team. Most patients are shy or embarrassed to bring it up and even made to feel guilty about raising them, while they are trying to fight cancer. We spoke to Dr Prasad Raj Dandekar, consultant radio-oncologist who talked to us about the need for cancer patients to openly discuss their sexual health with their doctor to navigate…

Vandana Mahajan, a palliative care counselor, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer 15 years ago. She lost both her thyroid and parathyroid glands after cancer surgeries. In discussion with PatientsEngage, she reflects on her challenging journey and how her cancer diagnosis ultimately led her to find her identity. What were the initial symptoms that you experienced, and how did that lead to the diagnosis you received? In 2009, at the age of 36, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. Two years prior…

Kavitha*, 59 from Mumbai reiterates how appreciative she is that she went for a timely check-up. This is her story of how early detection of breast cancer through proactive screening prevented her from undergoing taxing treatment and an arduous journey with the disease. Please tell us a bit about your condition. Can you describe it? In 2011 during my annual check up I was diagnosed with calcification in my left breast. It was not immediately removed. There was no pain or any other symptoms…

Kidney cancer is not a well known cancer. People hardly talk about it. According to GLOBOCAN 2022, yearly incidence of kidney cancer in India is 17,480 with 5 year prevalence of 1.4% per 1 lac population. Number of deaths are 9897. This indicates that patients come in late and if they came early, they would have better chance of survival. Let us go through some frequently asked questions about kidney cancer in this article. What is kidney cancer? Kidney cancer is any cancer that affects the…

Bladder cancer is the 10th common cancer worldwide. In India it is often diagnosed late due to limited awareness of bladder cancer and its symptoms. Let us understand the symptoms of bladder cancer, the diagnostic tests, the treatment options and some commonly asked questions about bladder cancer treatment, prognosis and effect on quality of life.   What is bladder cancer? Urinary bladder is a muscular organ situated in the pelvic cavity. Its primary function is to store urine produced by…

31-year-old Shourabh Vittalmurthy was diagnosed with fibromatosis in 2016, and subsequently spindle cell sarcoma in 2022 and 2023. He shares his journey as a cancer survivor to show how adopting a positive mindset and staying resilient has been his guiding light through each challenging chapter. When was the cancer first diagnosed? The first occurrence of cancer was in 2016. I was pursuing my Masters in Manipal, India. A lump the size of a football, started growing out of my scapular region. I…

The health of an individual goes beyond the journey of symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and recovery phase. The support and information provided by healthcare professionals and hospital/ clinics is key to helping patients and their families navigate these stages. Lata highlights her experience while playing the role of a caregiver in her father-in-law’s brief journey with lung cancer. My father-in-law was a man with no chronic conditions, despite being a chronic smoker for 69 years. He quit…

Dr. Naresh Somani ( MD,DM, Director and HoD Medical Oncology, HCG Cancer Centre Jaipur) & Dr. Vidya MN ( Lead Consultant, Pathology, Manipal Hospitals, Bangalore) spoke to PatientsEngage on myths and facts on lung cancer.   Myth: Lung cancer is just a chronic cough that will eventually go away. Fact: Lung cancer is not merely a chronic cough that will disappear over time. While a persistent cough can be a symptom of various respiratory issues, including lung cancer, it is crucial…

Subhasmita was diagnosed with breast cancer at 26. She talks of her physical and emotional journey as she made difficult choices. What kept her going through the worst days of breast cancer treatment and how she handles the issues of breast cancer survivorship. I am Subhasmita, 29 years old, Single. A marketer. I am a breast cancer survivor (ER+, PR+, her2neu-, stage 2A). I grew up in a small village in Odisha and I work and live in Kolkata at the moment for work. I paint, read and write in my…