The alarming rise of breast cancer cases in India is a cause for concern, as the early detection of the disease is proving to be problematic.
A recent survey has revealed a sudden increase in breast cancer cases in the urban areas from 25% to 32% of all cancers that women are prone to. This accounts for almost one fourth of all cancers affecting women. More and more young women in their 30s and 40s are being diagnosed with breast cancer, which is a disturbing trend.
Research also reveals a shocking fact that almost 50% of women don’t get diagnosed in the early stages, and the disease is often detected when it has advanced. Unfortunately, this only goes to show that almost 50% of women diagnosed with cancer don’t survive. Although breast cancer is curable, lack of awareness about the disease and delayed screening are the main reasons for breast cancer-related deaths.
Watch for symptoms
There is no way to prevent breast cancer although a healthy lifestyle and avoiding associated risk factors like smoking, consumption of alcohol, hormone replacement therapy and breast feeding may reduce the chances of developing the ailment.
Early detection of the disease, when treatments are most effective, is the key to win the battle against breast cancer.
Self-examination of the breasts and screening mammography are the two basic tools of early detection that can save lives.
Be aware of symptoms such as a painless palpable lump in the breast or underarm, nipple inversion, spontaneous bloody or clear nipple discharge and change in size of breast or skin dimpling.
Typically, there is no pain associated with breast cancer. Therefore, women often do not realise these symptoms until it is too late. If you experience any of the above symptoms, you should immediately consult a physician. Triple assessment which means physical examination, imaging and needle test should be done for all suspicious breast lumps.
Breast lumps are not always cancerous; fact is about 80% to 90% of these lumps are non-malignant. Tests like mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy are needed to establish the nature of the lump.
Advanced treatments
Vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB) is the latest technology, wherein a patient does not have to wait for the breast abnormality to grow bigger for detection or diagnosis. The smallest of lumps can be biopsied even if it is visible only on an MRI, which is the most sensitive test and treated accordingly, whether it is malignant or non-malignant.
As opposed to the traditional or conventional methods, the VABB enables tissue diagnosis of subtle abnormalities. This is a big advancement and helps reduce the anxiety and uncertainty for the patient as any suspicious abnormality can now be easily targeted.
Another advanced step in the treatment of breast cancer that we have seen over the last decade is the revolution in surgical management. Earlier, if a woman was
diagnosed with breast cancer, irrespective of the stage of the disease, she would have to undergo mastectomy and would lose her entire breast. However, one of the main objectives of breast oncologists today is to conserve as much healthy breast tissue as possible for a patient diagnosed with stage 1 or stage 2 breast cancers. To address this need, ground-breaking technologies such as the breast tissue marker and the hook wire localisation needle can be used.
(The author is an associate director, department of radiology, Medanta Medicity, Gurgaon.)
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