Breast Cancer Symptoms and Signs

Breast cancer survivor, Vibha Rani, who had stayed indoors for 7 months for her cancer treatment, is able to handle the Covid-19 lockdown with ease as she pursues her passion of theatre, writing, folk singing and behavioural training – all online. I am a breast cancer survivor. Like hundreds of other women, my story too begins in denial. It was during self-examinatio naround 2010 that I discovered a lump smaller than a size of a pea on my left breast. My first instinct was to run to a…

कैंसर मौत की सजा नहीं है। ऐसा कहीं नहीं लिखा है कि जिसे कैंसर है उसकी मौत दूसरों से पहले होगी। नंदिता मुरलीधर, जिन्हें स्तन कैंसर था, बताती हैं कि कैसे उनके हंसमुख और सकारात्मक दृष्टिकोण ने उनकी निराशा को कम किया। “कैंसर” एक ऐसा शब्द है जो सुनने वाले को सुन्न कर देता है, कंपकंपा देता है। आपको कैंसर संबंधी हर मायूस फिल्म की याद आने लगती है - है… क्योंकि इन में कैंसर को हमेशा ज़िंदगी का एक अंत (या कम से कम अंत की शुरुआत) के रूप में चित्रित किया गया है. उदास संगीत, जबरदस्त बहते आँसू या एक निश्चित…

ममता गोएंका द्विपक्षीय स्तन कैंसर की शिकार रही हैं और वे भावनात्मक उथल-पुथल और शर्मिंदगी की यातनाओं के साथ उपचार की पूरी श्रंखला से गुजर चुकी हैं। लेकिन, उन्होंने पूरे गर्व और आत्मविश्वास के साथ कैंसर को चुनौती देने और झड़ते हुए बालों का सामना करने का फैसला किया। इस जंग में वे विजयी हुई हैं और एक योद्धा और लिम्फेडेमा प्रबंधन गुरु के रूप में उभर कर आई हैं। कृपया हमें अपनी स्थिति के बारे में थोड़ा बताएं: मैं द्विपक्षीय (bilateral) स्तन कैंसर से पीड़ित थी! आपका निदान कब किया गया था? 1998 में मेरे…

Dr Anand Mishra, Professor and Head of Department of Endocrine Surgery, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, organised a ramp walk for breast cancer survivors including men with breast cancer, to focus awareness on early detection and treatment of breast cancer. He shares his views on how he went about it as also his future plans. Please share with us your journey with breast cancer patients. I am working with breast cancer since my early days of a trainee senior resident doctor…

Screening for Cancer is a crucial part of Cancer Prevention and Control for women. In the second part of this guide on screening, Dr Gauravi Mishra  focusses on the screening strategies for women related cancers like Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer.  Can you explain the difference between the various screening tools used for Breast cancer i.e. ultrasound vs BSE vs mammography vs thermography? Breast Self-Examination BSEs first started 1930s; gained more recognition in 1950s-1960s…

While breast cancer patients are busy dealing with the effects of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, they are often not warned about Lymphedema, often called "the dirty secret" of breast cancer. Breast cancer survivors share their first hand experience of dealing with lymphedema.  What is Lymphedema Lymphodema is the accumulation of lymph (tissue fluid) below the skin. Lymph is normally drained by the Lymphatic system, which when obstructed can lead to accumulation of the lymph.…

Hair Loss is one of the more dreaded side effects of chemotherapy. But thats not the only side effect. Our contributors shared the other side effects they went through. Often the side effects were different in each cycle.  Here is a compilation of the various side effects experienced by our contributors. There have been a few who had no major side effects apart from hair loss. This article can help other patients and their families be prepared for these side-effects. Click on the name to…

Deaths due to Breast Cancer are preventable. Just do the Breast Self Exam once a month to catch any abnormalities early. Download this shower card to reduce breast cancer mortality Breast cancer is one of the commonest cancers for women. It can also affect a small percentage of men. If detected early, it is also a cancer with one of the higher survival rates. So it is important that we take the necessary steps to detect lumps in the breast and other abnormalities early to improve our chances.…

Tulsi Chikhal, 34 from Mumbai India on how she took the diagnosis of breast cancer head on, on dealing with chemotherapy, mastectomy and hair loss and side effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy and trekking to Everest Base Camp.    What is your diagnosis? I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer in November of 2016. Tell us about your journey In summer of 2015, one day I felt a hard lump on my right breast. When I told a colleague of mine, she suggested I visit her Gynaecologist…

Dr. Rohini Patil, a gynaecologist and a 17 year breast cancer survivor from Nagpur was shocked at the lack of awareness about breast prosthesis after mastectomy. She decided to do something about it. Tell us a little about how Knitted Knockers Nagpur  came into being. India is seeing an increase in the incidence of cancer, more worrisome is its increase incidence in the younger population. In India 1 in 22 women have a life time risk of getting diagnosed with Breast Cancer, this is…