Dr. Anil Kumar M

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in females, affecting one in every eight women in the US. Knowing the symptoms can help in early diagnosis and thereby early treatment and better outcome.  

How and why of breast cancer?


Breasts have milk producing glands as well as connective tissue including fat, fibrous tissue, nerves, blood vessels, etc. Milk produced in the glands reaches the exterior through a network of ducts. Most cancers develop in milk producing glands and ducts and later continue to grow and spread to lymph nodes in armpit as well as distant organs.  

Warning signs and symptoms: 


Given the high incidence of breast cancer, knowing the symptoms helps in early identification. Read on to know more. Pay extra attention if there is a family history. 

1. Appearance of a lump in the breasts or the armpits 
2. Any change in the size, shape, or contour of the breasts  
3. Presence of a watery or bloody discharge from the nipple  
4. The breast or the nipple turning red
5. Sudden thickening of breast tissue or skin that continues for a while 
6. Change in the feel or look of the skin (dimpling, puckering, scaliness, reddishness, warmth, etc.)
7. Hardening of the tissue under the breast skin 
8. Difference in appearance or feel of one area in comparison with other areas 

The presence of any of these or a combination of these symptoms should be an indication for a detailed check-up. As mentioned, early diagnosis helps in improving outcome. Treatment is also easier with early stage of disease. It is also good to know risk factors, which also indicate if you need to watch for symptoms. 

1. Family history: Breast cancer can run in families, and if you have close relative(s) with breast cancer, watch out for symptoms.  Family member or self have a positive test for BRCA1 and BRCA2 Family history of other cancers Age Women over the age of 40 years are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer. 
2. Hormones: Increased use of estrogen increases the chances of developing breast cancer. Therefore, women who have used birth control pills for long time or are on hormone replacement therapy are at greater risk.  
3. Abnormal gynaecologic milestones: Women who have abnormal menstrual milestones are more predisposed to developing breast cancer. For instance, girls who have start of menstrual cycles before age of 12, get pregnant after 30, and reach menopause after 55. Women with menstrual irregularities including cycles earlier than 26 days and later than 29 days are also likely to have hormonal issues and are, therefore, at higher risk of breast cancer.  
4. Other factors: Smoking, alcohol consumption, and obesity also increase the chances of a woman developing breast cancer."

Kidney cancer or renal cancer is when kidney cells grow uncontrollably and form a tumour. Kidney cancer often begins in the tubules (tiny tubes in the kidneys). The prognosis may depend on the stage of the kidney cancer.

Different Stages of Kidney Cancer
The TNM system helps to categorize each stage of the kidney cancer.
Tumour (T) – Describes the size and location of the tumour.
Node (N) – Describes the spread of cancer to lymph nodes.
Metastatis (M) – Describes the spread of cancer to other body parts.

These results combined with the five stages (0 and 1 to 4) can help to identify the right treatment option for every patient. Zero stage describes no cancer presence. For instance –
Stage 1 – Here the tumour is confined to kidneys and its size is smaller than 7 centimetres. (T1 or T1, N0, M0)
Stage 2 – Here the tumour is confined to kidneys and its size is more than 7 centimetres. (T2)
Stage 3 – Here the tumour is in kidneys or blood vessels or fatty tissues but also a lymph node; cancer spreads to major veins but doesn’t extend beyond renal or Gerota’s fascia (connective tissues surrounding adrenal glands and kidneys). (T3)
Stage 4 – Here the cancer is in the fatty tissues surrounding kidneys and adjacent lymph nodes; has spread to other nearby organs and beyond renal fascia. (T4)

Treatment and management of kidney cancer
Once your doctor has determined the staging of your kidney cancer, a treatment plan can be formulated for you.

1. Surgery
   • Simple nephrectomy removes the affected kidney.
   • Radical nephrectomy is a common surgery for kidney cancer. It removes all affected parts such as the kidneys, adrenal gland, lymph nodes and surrounding tissues.
   • Partial nephrectomy is for small tumours and removes the kidneys and the surrounding tissues.
2. Interventional radiology: This is a surgery aided by real-time images. An advanced surgery using a nano knife is minimally-invasive and is effective for inoperable kidney tumours.
3. Targeted therapy: Drugs target specific tumour cells and destroy them.
4. Immunotherapy: Used for kidney cancer that has spread to other organs, this therapy may use different types of drugs to either help immune cells find cancer growth or regulate the immune system activity to stop or slow cancer growth.
5. Arterial embolization: It is a procedure to stop blood supply to the kidney tumour, in order to shrink it in size prior to surgery.
6. Cryotherapy: This procedure involves using extreme cold to kill cancer cells.

Chemotherapy is not very effective for treating kidney cancer. Talk to your doctor about all possible treatment options for your cancer. You can lower your risk of kidney cancer by eating healthy, maintaining your ideal body weight and managing your blood pressure. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Brain surgery involves several medical procedures, which incorporate fixing issues with the brain, including changes in the tissues of the brain, cerebrospinal fluid and brain blood flow. Brain surgery is quite a complicated method of surgery and the type of surgery to be conducted depends on the underlying conditions.

Reasons for Brain Surgery:
Brain surgery is performed for the correction of physical brain abnormalities. These abnormalities could occur because of diseases, birth defects and injuries. A brain surgery is required when the following conditions arise in the brain:

1. Abnormal blood vessels
2. Aneurysm
3. Bleeding
4. Blood clots in the brain
5. When the protective tissue or dura is damaged
6. Epilepsy
7. Due to nerve damage
8. Parkinson's disease
9. Any kind of pressure after an injury
10. Abscesses
11. Skull fractures
12. In case of stroke and tumors

A surgery may not be required for all the above mentioned conditions, but in case of many, a brain surgery is very important as the conditions may worsen health problems.

Types of brain surgeries:

1. Craniotomy: During this open brain surgery, an incision is made in the scalp, and a hole is created in the skull, near the area, which is being treated. After this process is complete, the hole or bone flap is secured in its place using plates or wires.
2. Biopsy: This form of brain surgery helps in the removal of a small amount of brain tissues or tumors. After removal, the tissues or tumors are examined under a microscope. The creation of a small incision and a hole in the skull is indicated as a part of this process.
3. Minimally invasive endonasal endoscopic surgery: This form of brain surgery enables the removal or lesions and tumors via the nose and sinuses. Private parts of the brain can be accessed without creating an incision. An endoscope is utilized in the process which is used to examine tumors all across the brain.
4. Minimally Invasive neuroendoscopy: This process is similar to the minimally invasive endonasal endoscopic surgery. This method also involves the use of an endoscope for removal of brain tumors. Small, dime sized holes may be made in the skull to access some brain parts.

Risks:
Brain surgeries may be associated with several risks. They may be:

1. Allergic reactions to anesthesia
2. Bleeding
3. Blood clot formations
4. Swelling of the brain
5. A state of coma
6. Impairment in speech, coordination and vision.
7. Problems in memory
8. Strokes and seizures
9. Infections in the brain

A brain surgery is a serious and very complex surgery. There are different kinds of brain surgeries, which are conducted depending on the condition and severity of the disease.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

When cells divide abnormally and uncontrollably, they can form a mass or lump of tissue. This lump is called a tumor. Bone tumors form in your bones. As the tumor grows, abnormal tissue can displace healthy tissue.

Some tumors are benign, meaning they aren’t cancerous. While benign bone tumors won’t spread to other parts of the body and are unlikely to be fatal, they can still be dangerous and may require treatment. Benign tumors can grow and could compress your healthy bone tissue. Other tumors are malignant, meaning they’re cancerous. Malignant bone tumors can cause cancer to spread throughout the body.

Causes of bone tumor:

The cause of bone tumors is unknown. They often occur in areas of the bone that grow rapidly. Possible causes include:

1. Genetic defects passed down through families
2. Radiation
3. Injury
4. In most cases, no specific cause is found.

Symptoms of bone tumor:

Symptoms of bone tumor may include any of the following:

1. Bone fracture, especially fracture from slight injury (trauma)
2. Bone pain, may be worse at night
3. Occasionally a mass and swelling can be felt at the tumor site
4. Some benign tumors have no symptoms.

Diagnosing a bone tumor:

There are some common conditions like fractures, infections and other conditions that may resemble tumors. But, to be sure some physical examination to be performed which will check the tenderness in the bone and also the range of motion. Blood or Urine test may be performed to detect different proteins that may indicate the presence of tumor. Doctor may go with X-rays and depending on the X-ray results other imaging tests might be necessary i.e. CT scan, MRI PET scan. In some cases biopsy is also performed. In this test. a sample of the tissue that makes up the tumor is removed.

Treating bone tumor:

Bone cancer is generally treated with Surgery in which the entire tumor is removed. The surgeon carefully examines the margins of your tumor to make sure no cancer cells are left. Surgical techniques have improved greatly. Other ways to treat is radiation therapy which is used in conjunction with surgery. Still if the doctor feels that cancer cells are likely to spread or already spread then Chemotherapy is recommended.

Uterine cancer, also known as endometrial cancer, occurs mostly to middle aged women. The uterus of a woman is a muscular organ. The cancer can affect any part of the uterus and is more common in women having obesity, diabetes and hypertension. In most cases, the cancer starts in the endometrium, hence called endometrial cancer. Uterine cancer can be cured using any of the following methods:

1. Surgical removal of the uterus along with ovaries, lymph nodes and fallopian tubes
2. Radiation therapy
3. Chemotherapy

Although uterine cancer is curable, it's always a better option to prevent it. You cannot control all the causes for uterine cancer like those related to heredity. But other than that, here are a few ways in which you can prevent suffering from uterine cancer:

1. Control body weight: Keep your body weight in control. Obesity can pose a huge risk of getting affected with uterine cancer. The fat in the body produces estrogen, which promotes the growth of uterine lining that is the Endometrium and may lead to Endometrium cancer.

2. Breast feed: If you are lactating, then the risk of the cancer decreases, as breast feeding decreases ovulation as well as estrogen activities.

3. Treat abnormal bleeding: If you are suffering from any type of abnormal bleeding, be that heavy periods, bleeding even after you reached menopause or if you start bleeding between two period cycles, consult your doctor immediately. Abnormal bleeding is the symptom of endometrial hyperplasia, which might eventually turn cancerous.

4. Exercise: As already said earlier, keep your weight under control to avoid uterine cancer. Exercise to avoid increase in weight leading to obesity. It also reduces the estrogen level in your body.

5. Healthy food: Healthy food is the key to avoid any disease, be that a common cold or uterine cancer. Eat a healthy and balanced diet everyday to be fit and bouncing. 

6. Birth control pills: It is believed that the intake of birth control pills helps to keep uterine cancer at bay.

So eat healthy, exercise and adopt healthy habits. Then nothing can stop you from enjoying life to the fullest. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Gynaecologist.

Breasts are a part of female identity- which is why for most women, breast cancer still continues to be a big fear. Many feel that having cancerous cells in these parts rob them of their identity and puts a question on everything they stand for. More than a disease, many women treat it as an emotional trauma that one has to go through, rather than something that has to be dealt at a physical level. But breast cancer is not a taboo subject anymore and with the huge awareness created, women are now more knowledgeable in identifying their risk levels. What’s more, breast cancer can be prevented to the maximum by making minor changes to our daily chores and life style.

Let us have a look at ways to keep breast cancer in check.

1. Have regular checkups: Move over traditional mammography methods; new digital checks that are more accurate in identifying the symptoms have come into the picture. Make these checks mandatory as a part of the yearly check-ups and never postpone them.
2. Exercises: Regular exercises can be very helpful in keeping the body fit. Estrogen is the biggest factor that can stimulate breast cancer. Having regular activities alters the estrogen metabolism thus minimizing the cancer levels. Even a relaxed exercise of 15 - 20 minutes can do a world of good, both for the body and mind in keeping the condition under check.
3. Family history: About 5% to 10% of the breast cancers are hereditary. Hence always ensure that you know your family history and their tryst with cancer.
4. Minimize screening tests that use radiation: Go for X-ray screening and chest x-rays only when absolutely necessary. Always consult with the physician about the precautions to be taken when going for a screening test.
5. Reduce hormone intake: Hormone therapy is most commonly used to manage menopausal symptoms. However, there is a chance that they can indirectly aid in producing estrogen that can cause breast cancer. Always have a proper consultation with the gynecologist and as far as possible avoid hormone intake. Try to treat the symptoms through natural ways.
6. Breast Feeding: This is one of nature's ways of preventing the contagion that causes breast cancer. Breast feeding naturally reduces the estrogen levels thus drastically reducing the chances.
7. Diet and the right food: Tons of articles have been written about the good food to have and the proper diet to maintain. When it comes to breast cancer, increasing the carotenoid levels in the body can decrease the chances of breast cancer. Foods that are rich in carotenoid include fresh vegetables and fruits and greens. Also, increase the intake of fibers to have a natural defense mechanism against cancer.
8. Early detection: There is no better treatment plan for breast cancer than detecting it early. The symptoms do not appear initially and they appear only in the advanced stages. Hence make sure that regular checkups are done to diagnose it.
9. Alcohol abuse: Alcohol can be had in minimal quantities but do not abuse them. Excessive drinking can increase the chances of breast cancer.
10. Smoking: Researchers have found a direct link between smoking and breast cancer. This increases phenomenally during menopause stages. Quit smoking altogether for a better life and in preventing many other ailments.

Breast cancer can be an emotional phase for women and following the above methods can keep breast cancer in check and prevent them in the long run.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Patra panda sweda(ela kizhi) is a specialized therapy which is performed for the diseases related to Bones, muscles and nerves. Patra means leaves of medicinal plants. Pinda means a bolus. Sweda means Fomentation or sudation. The swedana karma or sudation therapy which is given by using a bolus which is prepared by the different combination of medicinal leaves which is processed with medicinal oil along with the medicinal herbs is called as patra panda sweda or ela kizhi. This procedure is unique, which comprises both snehana (oleation) and swedana (sudation) (snehayukta swedana)

Benefits of Patra Pinda Sweda:
It strengthens and rejuvenates the bones, muscles and nerves
Strengthens the tissues
Increases the circulation
Provides color and complexion of the skin
Helps to Reduce pain, inflammation and stiffness of the muscles

INDICATIONS:
Paralysis
Joint stiffness
Swelling
Sciatica
Cervical spondylitis
Lumber spondylitis
Back pain
Arthritis
Sprains and cramps