Mumbai women with two different types of breast tumour successfully treated

In a medical achievement, a 54-year-old woman from Mira Road in Thane district who had two distinct types of breast tumours was successfully treated involving a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

A team led by Dr Aditi Agrawal, Breast Onco Surgeon at the Wockhardt Hospitals in Mira Road performed the surgery and charted the course of treatment.

The patient, who is a dance trainer by profession, noticed a lump in the right breast a week before she visited the hospital while bathing.

“The patient had noticed a lump in her right breast for which she consulted me, however on examination I found lumps in both breasts of different consistency,” the doctor said.

“We performed her X-ray Mammography which revealed lesions in both the breasts. On performing a biopsy of both breasts, it was confirmed that there is a rare malignant Phyllodes Tumor in the right breast and Triple negative invasive duct carcinoma in the left one. Phyllodes tumor accounts for 1 per cent of all phyllodes tumors and Malignant Phyllodes tumor accounts for 10-15 per cent of all phyllodes tumors. Treating 2 extremely different breast cancers is challenging. In an ideal scenario, for triple-negative breast cancer, we prefer neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery however malignant phyllodes tumors don’t respond to chemotherapy so on the multidisciplinary team discussion we concluded that it would be best to operate on the patient first and then subject her for chemotherapy. She opted to save both of her breasts,” Dr Aditi said.

The team performed a Bilateral Breast Conservative Surgery at the same time with the reconstruction of the excised cancer area with surrounding tissue in the form of flaps. “She has recovered well and is looking at life with new dreams and new aspirations,” said Dr Aditi.

In a statement, the patient said that she never thought she would be faced with the harrowing diagnosis of breast cancer that too in both of the breasts. “It was a daunting reality that seemed to shake the very core of my being. However, thanks to the expertise of the team of doctors, I am now able to express profound gratitude for their prompt and effective treatment that saved my breasts. Losing a part or both breasts to cancer would have been an incredibly traumatic experience for me or any woman. It's not just about the physical loss, but also the emotional and psychological impact that comes with it. For us, our breasts are tied to the sense of femininity and sexuality, so losing them can cause a deep sense of grief and loss. The journey through breast cancer was undoubtedly arduous, but it also brought about a newfound appreciation for life and resilience,” the patient added.