The incidence of pain and lumps in the breast is on the rise. Breast cancer has grown in incidence over the years. More women are getting diagnosed with it, and the age at which they are being diagnosed has reduced too. Therefore, preventative checks and screenings have gone up significantly. The number of women diagnosed with small lumps has gone up drastically. The good thing is that since these are diagnosed in the early stages, the treatment is simpler and the prognosis far better than women who get diagnosed much later in life.

In a majority of cases, once a lump is identified the most preferred treatment is removal. This is known as lumpectomy. However, before a final decision is made to remove the lump, there are certain tests that are run by the doctor to confirm the diagnosis and extent of spread.

A thorough breast exam to identify if this is an isolated lump or if there are more lumps in either breast. The exact shape and size of the lump also need to be identified so that treatment can be planned accordingly.
Imaging to see if the lymph nodes have been involved. In most cases, there could be spread to the lymph nodes in the armpits which also need to be removed if required. If the lump is too big or too many in number, then a mastectomy may be required instead of a lumpectomy. This requires removal of the entire breast tissue on one or both sides (rarely) along with involved lymph nodes.
Pre-surgery: Once the diagnosis is confirmed, then the doctor will plan treatment. Prior to the surgery,

Talk to your doctor about your other medical conditions and medications and allergies, if any
Gynecologic history is very important to be discussed in detail
Blood thinners have to be stopped prior to the surgery
Post-surgery care needs to be planned, including a caretaker for a few days and postop care
During surgery:

Lumpectomy or mastectomy is often done under general anaesthesia
This requires hospitalization and carries the risks associated with anaesthesia
The outlined breast tissue or complete breast and surrounding lymph nodes will be removed. The area will be closed using sutures and bandaged
Post-surgery:

The wound needs to heal, and so postop care is very important
For the first few days, painkillers and antibiotics are used to control pain and infection
As a follow-up, some women may require radiation therapy to contain the suspicious tissue that may be left behind after lumpectomy
If extensive breast tissue was removed, some women may prefer to have reconstructive surgery done
Remember that lumpectomy is not a definitive procedure, and there could be cases that require a repeat operation
Advantages:

Less invasive compared to a mastectomy
The appearance of the breast is minimally affected, and symmetry is maintained
Disadvantages:

May not ensure complete removal
May require additional radiation therapy
May require repeat surgery

Surgical Treatment For Pain And Lumps In Breasts Of Women!

Fibroadenomas are benign non carcinogenic tumors that occur in the breasts of women. Although the condition may affect females of any age; spanning from pubescent girls to middle aged ladies, yet it is most commonly diagnosed in young women below 30 years of age. Fibroadenomas can be described as a stiff, smooth, supple marble under the skin of your breasts, which move when touched. These tumors which occur in varied sizes, may shrink or expand with time. Diagnosing through biopsies and treatment by surgeries are commonly employed for such a condition.

Types of fibroadenomas
Fibroadenomas are of two types: simple fibroadenomas and complex fibroadenomas. The simple tumors are usually harmless and almost look the same under the lens of a microscope. On the other hand, the complex tumors are comprised of macro cysts (large fluid-filled sacs) and calcifications (deposits of calcium) which can slightly increase the chance of breast cancer.

What is the primary cause of fibroadenomas?
Doctors aren't able to pinpoint the chief cause of fibroadenomas, but they have reasons to believe that the condition may pertain to the reproductive hormones. The condition may occur during pregnancy or during the use of hormone therapy, owing to which, the tumors may increase in size. The tumors are usually seen to shrink postmenopause, when the hormone levels start to dwindle.

Fibroadenomas are apparent and you may be able to detect them even without a doctor. The marble like tumor within your breasts are usually:
1) painless
2) firm
3) rubbery and elastic
4) easily movable

These tumors can range from being too small to as big as 3 inches or more in diameter. These lumps, which are usually harmless may be a cause of concern if they start to grow or change. Consulting a doctor is duly advised in such cases.

Risks
Fibroadenomas, only in the rarest cases, increase the likelihood of breast cancer. A complex fibroadenoma comprising of cysts or thick tissues called calcifications may aggravate your condition. Causes of concern could be if the tumor pains, a family history of cancer or an event of a questionable biopsy report.

Causes and Symptoms of Fibroadenomas

We live in an age where every single individual, more or less, is exposed to the risk of cancer. It is probably an unfavorable lifestyle we lead that deprives us of good health. This might alarm many but considerable changes in lifestyle can help you realize cancer as a preventable disease. Cancer does not only make you undergo severe suffering but it also affects your friends and family. The pallor of misery spreads wider than you think.

Abstain from tobacco: Consuming raw tobacco or smoking tobacco can be equally detrimental to your health. Tobacco increases your chances of contracting the disease. As is known, passive smoking can also affect your health adversely. Tobacco can be the potential cause behind cancer of the mouth, throat, larynx, lungs, oral cavity and even the pancreas. It might harm your kidneys and cervix. It is upon you to quit tobacco at the earliest possible. One should also try and persuade friends and relatives to give up smoking.
Drink alcohol in moderation: Complete abstinence from alcohol might not be possible if you have already been ushered into your work- life. The society might require you to be an occasional drinker. It is important to drink in moderation. Crossing the limit can propel consequences as serious as cancer of the stomach, pancreas, liver and the heart.
A balanced and nutritious diet: Deciding on a plant- based diet or a Mediterranean diet can aid your fight against the risk of cancer. A Mediterranean diet will involve green leafy vegetables, lots of fresh fruits, whole grains, mixed nuts, legumes and also the use of extra- virgin olive oil. Fish can be a safe bet but red meat should be avoided. One must also try to avoid processed meat as they tend to make you prone to the risk of cancer.
Immunization: Hepatitis B and HPV or Human papilloma virus vaccines are extremely necessary to protect you against the sexually transmitted types of cancer.
Sun protection: Caring for your skin doesn't arise from vanity. Skin cancer is one of the most prevalent kinds of cancer; the chances of this disease can be restricted by remaining in shade especially during midday, by wearing covered clothes and by using a good sunscreen lotion repeatedly while outside.
Exercise diligently: Did you think it was okay to have weaker muscles and bulging layers of fat? If yes, you probably have grown numb to the inadequacies you face in result. Unchecked fat can lead to obesity which further complicates health conditions. Metabolic activity differs from person to person. Regular exercising can help regulate metabolism according to the needs of your body. Physical exercise protects you against the risk of breast and colon cancer. Moderate or vigorous physical activity for 150 to 75 minutes a week respectively can reduce the risk of cancer.

Reduce the Risk of Cancer - Get Tips!

World Cancer Day, organized by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and celebrated each year on 4 February, is an opportunity to rally the international community to end the injustice of preventable suffering from cancer.
Cancer is one of the worst diseases, which kills millions of people across the world. While there is a wide range of treatment options available, the best way to deal with it is to ensure a good diet along with a healthy lifestyle. Here is a list of cancer-fighting food products, which can immensely help to prevent cancer.

Green vegetables: Leafy green vegetables have multiple health benefits. They are not only rich in minerals, vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants, but also have very low content of calories, toxins, and sodium. Being antiviral and antibacterial in nature, green vegetables can successfully inactivate carcinogens, halt metastasis and pause the formation of a tumour. Certain vegetables contain isothiocyanates that can detox the cells. Some of the vegetables that are mighty effective in countering cancer cells include kale, romaine, watercress, nutritious, spinach, collard greens etc.
Berries: Berries are one of the best antioxidants among all food items, owing to their high ORAC score. Their antiviral and anti-fungal nature of berries is extremely healthy for the body. Moreover, abundant supply of vitamin A and C makes berries a perfect agent for increasing body immunity. Free radicals are one of the top reasons for metastasis. The proanthocyanidin content of berries helps the body to get a hang of free radicals, thereby decreasing the chances of cancer cells to grow rapidly. They can be consumed daily with any meals.
Spices and herbs: There are a lot of herbs and spices, which boost the immune system and prevents cancer cells to grow further. Turmeric, for instance, is scientifically proved to be a great agent for reducing tumor size and effectively countering breast cancer and colon cancer. Some of the other herbs and spices include black pepper, ginger, raw garlic, parsley, oregano, and basil. They can be consumed daily in the form of juice or along with regular meals.
Organic meat: Many scientists are of the view that organic meat does wonder in a cancer diet. Liver of beef and chicken has high B12 content and helps to remove harmful toxins from the digestive tract and liver. They can balance hormone, digest fat and counter the side effects of triglycerides, drugs, and obesity. This can be included in the diet every alternate day.
Seeds and nuts: Flax seeds and chia seeds are few nutrient-power packed foods in the world. They should be included in the diet due to high fiber, mineral, and fatty acid content. Some other healthy seeds that can pay rich dividends in fighting cancer include walnut, sprouted bean, sunflower seeds etc. Nuts and seeds with all their nutritional qualities can successfully stop metastasis, reduce tumor size and increase immunity in the body, if consumed daily.

World Cancer Day - 5 Amazing Foods That Help Fight Cancer!

Developing cancer is either totally your bad luck where you haven t been doing anything wrong in your diet and lifestyle still develop it or it is out of bad lifestyle, eating habits and negative attitude towards life. But death due to cancer is totally due to carelessness in which a person didn t pay attention to initial symptoms and left cancer for thriving in the body. The truth has been said that cancer isn t a killer but delayed diagnosis and wrong or improper treatment is. Awareness, early diagnosis and treatment is the key to survival. Cancer does not always mean death if some earlier signs of cancer are noted and action is taken timely.

In normal conditions our body functions normally, i.e. we eat, pass urine and stool, breath, and drink water. Any alteration from this is abnormal and must be noticed like difficulty in swallowing, difficulty in urinating and defecating, passing blood in urine or stool, long continued severe pain in any part of the body.

The appearance of new moles on the body which keep on growing with an irregular border, painful and bleed.

Hoarseness of voice

Long persisting cough and blood in saliva. Cough lasting more than a month.

Loose stools or any change in bowel habits without any dietary changes lasting more than a few weeks needs to look into.

Presence of blood in stool without any obvious reason like ulcers or hemorrhoids.

Unexplained low blood count, i.e. anemia. Anemia needs to be evaluated unless there is any obvious source of blood loss.

Not all breast lumps are cancerous but all of them should be investigated. Also if there is any bloody discharge or discharge only from one nipple that should also not be ignored at all. Self-examination of the breast daily once a week is necessary and it is easy too. Check for any nodule or discharge from the breast.

Any lump in the testicles should be evaluated thoroughly. Men should also do a self-examination of the testicles, once in a month.

Urinary symptoms like less urine, pain while passing urine, blood or burning in urine, especially in men shouldn t be ignored. It can be a sign of bladder or pelvic cancer

Hoarseness without any respiratory infection or persistent for more than 3-4 weeks.

Normally lymph nodes swell due to any surrounding infection and then shrink eventually when the infection goes away. If it remains for a longer time and without any infection in the body, should be investigated.

A mole that is multicoloured with irregular borders, bleeding can be cancerous. Especially which is growing rapidly and is painful shouldn t be avoided at all.

Long continued heartburn and difficulty in swallowing even after using over the counter antacids. This can be a sign of esophageal cancer.

Bloody discharge or bleeding from the vagina which is unusual or after menopause can be due to cancer of the uterus or cervix.

Unobvious or unexplained weight loss, fever or night sweats can be an early sign of different types of cancer.

Continuous itching in the genital or anal area, non-healing sores and pain in back, head, bloating and indigestion which is there for a long time without any cause, should be inspected.

Cancer can be horrifying and debilitating but if diagnosed early by giving attention to the symptoms mentioned above and treated properly can fight off. Cancer is no more incurable if treated early. In cases where this disease is out of carelessness if some points are kept in mind and followed, prove to be preventive. If not preventive then definitely reduce the risk of developing it at least.

Do not overuse the birth control pills. Using them randomly can increase the chances of cancer.

Excessive consumption of alcohol shouldn t be done as it irritates the gastric mucosa and increases the incidences of malignancy. However, an occasional glass is fine and does no harm.

Avoid using pesticides around you or having things on which they are sprayed as many of them are definitely carcinogen.

Say no to smoking as tobacco in any form is an invitation to death. Smoking for a long time like 10-30 years can make you pay a heavy price for that.

Long continued anxiety and stress create havoc in the hormonal system of the body which ultimately results in diseases. Try to keep yourself more optimistic and relax in daily life.

Prefer organic vegetables and fruits as other ones have pesticides used while growing them which are definitely a source of getting carcinogens in the body.

Limit intake of processed and packaged food as they increase the risk or certain types of cancer. 

Stay active and try to maintain healthy weight.

Cancer can be the biggest slayer of the health but one can fight it and keep it at bay if mentioned tips are read and implement. Early diagnosis can prevent many lives. So spread awareness and let more people know about it. 

Cancer - A Misfortune Or Carelessness!

Irrfan Khan's saddening revelation about his health and diagnosis of Neuroendocrine tumour (NET) has undoubtedly created a rage amongst his fans, which is now being followed by good wishes for speedy recovery from his supporters all across social media.  

The actor shared in an emotional Twitter post that he s been diagnosed with NET, a rare tumour that develops from cells of the neuroendocrine system and grows predominantly in the digestive or respiratory tract - lungs, appendix, small intestine, rectum, and pancreas - it can occur in any part of the body.

Here is more on Irrfan s disease:

What is NET?

A neuroendocrine tumor is characterized by a rapid and abnormal growth that happens in the nerve cells which produce hormones. Hormones control how different organs in the body work.

It is a condition wherein, endocrine cells, the hormone-producing cells of the body, develop a tumor in any part of the body - while it can can grow in lungs or the thymus, or more rarely, in the ovaries, kidneys, or testicles - the most common is lung, intestines, and pancreas.

What causes NET?

A neuroendocrine tumour is quite a rare disease, occurs in less than one per million cases. The exact cause is not known.

The Symptoms-

It can cause a myriad of symptoms, depending on where in the body the NET is.

If it is in your digestive system, it can cause pain or discomfort in the abdomen area that comes and goes. You may feel sick, nauseated, vomited, or there may be a change in how often you pass stools.
If the NET is in the lung, it can cause shortness of breath, chest infections, or you can even have a cough up blood.
Weight loss and loss of appetite may also be some common signs of a neuroendocrine tumour.
Some NETs may overproduce a hormone-like substance called serotonin. This causes a group of symptoms called carcinoid syndrome. Symptoms include wheezing (like asthma), flushing of the skin and diarrhoea.
Who can be affected with NET?

These tumours, depending on the type, are more common in certain age or sex. And few have very strong family history too.
People who have a rare condition called multiple endocrine neoplasia 1 have an increased risk of developing a NET.
Did You Know?

Apple founder  Steve Jobs  died from the same disease in 2011. The tumour affected his pancreas.

Know The Different Types of NET:

Based on the organ that is affected, NET can vary a lot. When the chromaffin cells that produce adrenaline are affected, it is called Pheochromocytoma, and it is related to the stress levels of the body.

When a cell is formed abnormally under the skin and the hair follicles, it is called Merkel cell cancer. This is also called neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin and the condition can occur anywhere in the body. The commonly occurring places include lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and brain.

The status of the tumour, cancerous (malignant) or noncancerous (benign), decides the survival rate. Often slow-growing and noncancerous, they can invade surrounding parts of the body and at times, turn cancerous and spread across the body. However, you can still choose to live a good quality life with strict modifications in diet and lifestyle. The changes are made after taking into consideration the symptoms of the tumor. The organ where the tumor is formed also matters.

How Is It Treated?

Treatment depends on the location of the tumour, its type, how severe it is and whether it has spread to other parts of the body. Usually, the first treatment choice is surgery to remove the tumour. And, if the NET cannot be removed, your will prescribed with a treatment that will not only relieve the symptoms but will also improve the quality of your life.

How can a NET be prevented?

The first thing you need to do for the prevention of NET is to curb stress. Stress affects the entire body severely.

Lifestyle modifications:

A healthy lifestyle is what you need to stick to if you want to manage its symptoms during the treatment cycle. Your doctor will prescribe you to do exercises at least 4 days a week for a minimum of 30 minutes. You can also try a walk instead of strenuous exercises.

People with carcinoid syndrome may be advised to avoid food or activities that may trigger flushing, such as eating spicy food or drinking alcohol.

Indulge yourself in therapies that help in gaining more positive energy. If you are already affected by NET, eliminate all the sources of stress and get a good night's sleep every day. Join the support groups that make you grow strong and happy. After all, the mind is devised to do miracles when it is full of life and positive thoughts.

Is Irrfan Khan's tumour curable?

Dr Saumitra Rawat, HOD, Surgical Gastroenterology & Liver Transplant, Sri Ganga Ram Hospital, said, "NeuroEndocrine Tumour is an abnormal growth of Neuroendo cells which are present in bodies. When there is an abnormal growth, then it forms a tumor - Normally seen in intestine, pancreas, lung, thyroid and other parts of the body".

On commenting on Khan's case, he said, "It depends on the location of tumour, its size, and what is its mitotic index".

"Depending on where the tumour is localized, you can take it out surgically and the chances of cure are very high", Dr Rawat explained.

Actor Irrfan, who has been diagnosed with the disease is one of the most versatile actors in India, has also made a name for himself in the west, where he has been an important part of critically-acclaimed films such as  The Namesake ,  Jurassic World , and  Life of Pi . At home, the actor has delivered remarkable performances in films such as  Haasil ,  Paan Singh Tomar ,  Maqbool ,  Lunch Box ,  Piku , and the most recent  Hindi Medium .

Irrfan Khan is not just a disarmingly natural actor, but also an endearing human being -- honest and humble to the core. It s time to stand together and pray for him a speedy recovery!

Irrfan Khan - Battle Against Neuroendocrine Tumour!

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