Cancer

B V Lakshmi, a resident of USA, reflects on her decade long journey with three cancers - cervix cancer, colon cancer and rectum cancer, living with the complexities of the ileostomy bag and discovering the healing power of the mind. Read about how she embraced change and positivity. My Childhood… I grew up in India, traditionally in a vegetarian family. Both my paternal and maternal grandparents were aligned with nature and ate what nature gave them, so we were also taught the same things. I…

Rucha Ambe, has spent the last 3 years battling Breast Cancer multiple times. She talks about how it has impacted her and how her family and friends have rallied around to support her. Can you give us a quick synopsis of your breast cancer occurrences - initial symptoms, diagnosis, treatment. First Breast Cancer Diagnosis In end Dec 2017 I was diagnosed with Stage 3B breast cancer which was triple positive (HER2 ER/PR positive).  Apart from a lump in my breast that kept slowly but surely…

Dr Vani Parmar, Professor, Surgical Oncology, Breast Services, ACTREC had joined a webinar conducted by PatientsEngage on the management of side effects of hormone therapy for Breast Cancer. Here is a synopsis of some of the key points made by her. The link to the complete video recording is below. Do watch it to listen to Dr. Vani Parmar but also the breast cancer patient Mamta Goenka and Tulsi Chikhal.   1.   When is hormone therapy advised for Breast Cancer…

Dr. Prabodh Shah, 81 shares his journey with Prostate Cancer, his initial symptoms of problems in urination, seeking help promptly, how he managed side effects of the treatment. He candidly talks about how he struggled and coped with depression and his exercise routine that has helped him regain strength. Diagnosis: The first and only symptom I noticed was that I could not urinate like before. It would take a long time to empty my bladder. Sometimes, it would take me 30-60 seconds. As a result…

Cancer Power Circle brings you a informative, insightful, emotional yet full of practical tips from three spouses of Head and Neck cancer patients. And a wish to stop Tobacco usage. Dealing with Head and Neck Cancers is difficult for patients and their families. There are also unique challenges that families of patients with Head and Neck cancers have to navigate. As part of our Cancer Power Circle webinar series we speak with spouses of 3 Head and Neck cancer patients. They will talk about the…

Sharon, 42 talks about the various facets of work, life and relationships after breast cancer. She shares her journey of working through cancer, what worked for her in job interviews and how cancer has changed her lifestyle and priorities. I was diagnosed with Breast cancer in 2015, when I was 37 years old. It was stage 2B and I underwent the recommended Surgery (lumpectomy), Chemo, and Radiation therapy. Lastly, I was on Herceptin and by June 2016 I had completed the entire course of treatment…

Havovi Bharucha, 53 neglected her symptoms and her health while grieving the loss of her husband and being a caregiver to her mother and an aged pet. By the time she sought help, she was diagnosed with Stage 3 Endometrial Cancer. She is a reminder to each one of us to be vigilant about our health. For almost a year, I would get spotting between my periods. I dismissed it thinking it was due to approaching menopause. A year ago, I had lost my husband to liver cancer. Since then I had been…

Anjali Sen, 47 from Mumbai was diagnosed with breast cancer in June 2019. She talks about dealing with the confusion of treatment approaches, the constant fear of relapse, and finding help with online meditation solutions. When were you first diagnosed with breast cancer? I was diagnosed with Invasive ductal carcinoma on my left breast in June 2019. What were the early symptoms? What made you go see a doctor? Early in 2019, I felt a lump in the left breast while changing. During periods,…

The prevalence of Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) is as high as 68% of all patients and 30% even six months after chemotherapy. It is important to understand the cause and find ways to deal with the pain. Caregivers should not dismiss the pain. Dr. Shital Raval explains CIPN, the symptoms and approaches for management of CIPN.   When the nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord are affected or damaged, it causes a condition called peripheral neuropathy. While…

Shiba Suresh, who was diagnosed with Stage IV ALK mutation lung cancer, was immediately started with targeted therapy. Here she states she has responded well to her medications and considers herself lucky that she can live longer. We have beautiful weather in December in Kochi. It is the perfect time for gardening. I excitedly bought some flowering plants of adenium, petunia, dianthus and roses for my home and got busy for a couple of days planting and pruning them. I must have strained myself…