Breast Cancer Symptoms and Signs

Colorectal cancer is the 4th most common cause of deaths related to cancer worldwide. Lynch syndrome or HNPCC is one of most common genetic causes of Colon cancer. Here are a few questions to better understand Lynch syndrome and how we can screen for it. 1. What is the Lynch syndrome? Which genes are involved? Lynch Syndrome is also known as hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer or HNPCC. It has a genetic disposition, hence the term hereditary and is known to be associated or  the…

Dora Mukherjee went through the entire battery of tests and procedures after being detected with a Right Breast Carcinoma. She recalls her pain and anguish as well as the love she received during the critical period. The beginning with a diagnosis My painful journey with cancer started on 1st February 2014 when I was referred by my Bank's Medical Officer to Dr Gandhi's Imaging Clinic for Bilateral Mammography in Mumbai. Sonomammography was done which revealed a case of carcinoma…

An interview on a wide range of issues - from survival rates of breast cancer to quality of life, from the use of chemotherapy to breast reconstruction - with Dr. Vinay Deshmane, Consultant in Surgical Oncology & Breast Diseases and Medical Director and Jnt. Hon secretary of the Indian Cancer Society  1.    Has the survival rate of Breast Cancer changed in India in recent years? Why is that? There is paucity of data on survival rates of most cancers including Breast…

Suparna Mazumder has been a single caregiver for her mother who was diagnosed with metaplastic carcinoma of the ducts. She recounts her journey  – as an organizer of treatment, as a physical and mental care giver, as the only earning member of the family, as a single parent with a child The Diagnosis It all started in January 2004. 17th January, 11pm. While I was reading the newspaper, my domestic help told me that my mother had been feeling her breasts in the afternoon and had said…

And other questions on types of radiation therapy and tips to handle the effects of radiation therapy answered by Dr. Arpana Shukla, Senior Consultant Radiation Oncology, Sterling Cancer Center Ahmedabad 1.   What exactly is Radiation Therapy? Radiation Therapy is a clinical modality mainly dealing with the use of ionizing radiations for the treatment of cancer patients (and occasionally benign diseases). The primary goal is to deliver a precisely measured dose of radiation to a…

This World Cancer Day, cancer survivors and PatientsEngage contributors share advice based on their lives experience on how best to deal with a cancer diagnosis. #WeCanICan #WorldCancerDay #WCD2018 What would you tell a person who just learned of their cancer diagnosis?’ 1. Dilip Kumar Mevada, Multiple myeloma survivor Cancer so what? You can overcome it. You have to accept and forgive that you have cancer.  If I can survive you can also survive. We are the luckiest human beings to have…

says Dr Geeta Kadayaprath, a Surgical Oncologist and Head of Breast Surgery at Max Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi. She strongly recommends Breast Self Examination (BSE) as one of the methods for early detection. How do you spread awareness about breast cancer? Through lectures, videos and street plays mainly 1.   Would you say the awareness has improved over the years? It has, but in select pockets only, mainly urban. There is no comprehensive, concerted method of creating…

One of the largest studies on women (1.8 million women) tracked the effect of the use of hormonal birth control pills on risk of breast cancer. Read on to know the findings:  The study: Recently, the New England Journal of Medicine published a research conducted by a team of scientists in Denmark. They studied 1.8 million women between the ages of 15 and 49 over a stretch of approximately 11 years. They were looking for women who used hormonal birth control — usually a combination of…

Waiting for medical test results can be the hardest part, but you can make it easier. In a heart-warming article, Usha Jesudasan, relates how she became a nervous wreck when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, and how the composed, comforting presence of her son gave her strength to face her diagnosis.    At some point, most of us will accompany someone we love to a hospital or a doctor.   We  go, because we care about the person who felt the lump in her breast…

Breast cancer is the commonest cancer of urban Indian women and surgery is often an important step in treating breast cancer. In an interview, Dr. Rucha Kaushik, Consultant Breast Cancer Surgeon, Hinduja Hospital, answers your unanswered questions about breast cancer surgery procedures, options and challenges. A biopsy is typically done to diagnose breast cancer. Are there different types of biopsies? Yes, there are different types of biopsies done to diagnose breast cancer. Most commonly used…