Lumpectomy is a surgery where a cancerous or benign tumour is removed from a breast along with some surrounding tissues. The amount of tissue removed varies according to the nature of the tumour. It is a form of breast-conserving surgery. It is also called a partial mastectomy.

Lumpectomy is the first option of treatment for women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.

What is the goal of lumpectomy?

Lumpectomy aims to remove the cancerous cells from the breast and at the same time maintaining the appearance of the breast. Studies have proved that for early stage breast cancer, lumpectomy is as effective as mastectomy (complete removal of the breast).

Doctors may recommend lumpectomy to remove precancerous cells as well.

Pre lumpectomy measures-

If you are under any other medication or if you suffer from allergies, inform your doctor. Other pre-surgery measures include-

  Stop taking aspirins or any pain relieving medication

  Your doctor will recommend you to not drink or eat anything 8-12 hours prior to the surgery.

The procedure:

A mammogram and a biopsy reveal the exact location of a tumour. Lumpectomy is performed under general anaesthesia. The surgeon makes a small incision over a tumour to extract the cancerous cells and the surrounding tissues. Sometimes doctors have to perform sentinel lymph node surgery or axillary node dissection.

The surgeon then closes the incisions with sutures. The sutures may dissolve over time or may have to be extracted later by a doctor.

If you have undergone lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy, you will be discharged on the same day as the surgery as soon as your blood pressure stabilizes.

However, after lumpectomy with axillary node extraction, you may have to stay in the hospital for 2-3 days.

Therapy after lumpectomy

Your oncologist will recommend a follow-up radiation therapy to destroy the mutated cells that may have remained in the area where a tumour had developed. Radiation reduces the risk of breast cancer recurrence.

You might also have to undergo hormone therapy. Some types of breast cancer need female hormones like estrogen and progesterone to grow. Hormone therapy inhibits the development of cancerous cells by not allowing these hormones to reach the cells.

Your doctor will advise you to avoid strenuous physical activities for at least a month after the surgery.

Lumpectomy is a safe surgical procedure that can root out tumours or precancerous cells from the breast without deforming the shape of it.

Breast Lumpectomy - All You Should Know!

Finding a lump on either breast is the biggest cause of concern for any woman. This is one of the most common characteristic signs of breast cancer. Making any woman stressed out on discovering a lump. Breast cancer is increasingly becoming a commonly found cancer but, not all lumps are cancerous. Lumps can appear on the breast tissue as a side effect of contraceptives or during menstruation. These lumps typically disappear on their own. When a lump on the breasts does not reduce but instead begins to grow larger, one must immediately consult a doctor.

Non-cancerous lumps on the breast are known as fibroadenoma. These are typically seen in women below the age of 30 years. Fibroadenoma can be described as firm lumps with well-defined contours. These may be very small in size and may move under the skin. However, they can be easily identified through a mammography or an ultrasound. Fibroadenoma rarely turns cancerous and can be treated without surgery with homeopathy.

Homeopathy is a holistic form of medication that does not treat only the symptoms exhibited but treats the root cause of the issue. It may be safely prescribed to women of all ages. A homeopathic remedy is dependent on the symptoms exhibited along with the patient s overall physical, mental, and emotional health. Thus, two women with similar lumps in their breasts may be prescribed different medication if one has a type-A personality while the other has a type-B personality. For this reason, it is important to remember that while homeopathy has negligible side effects, self-medicating might not have the best results. If you have noticed a lump on your breasts, you must consult a qualified homeopathic doctor to prescribe a remedy for you.

Homeopathic remedies not only reduce the lumps but will also keep them from recurring. These may be prescribed on their own or in a combination of two or more medicines. Homeopathy can be taken along with allopathic medicine as well. When taking these medicines, one must be careful of the dosage and the timing. Homeopathic medication must always be taken at least an hour before or after eating anything else. When it comes to homeopathy, progress may be slow. Hence, it is important to take the full course of medication and not change the dosage or medicine without the doctor s advice.


Breast Lumps - How Your Symptoms Define Your Line Of Treatment?

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!

Lung cancer is the cancer killer of both men and women in the world. When you think of risk factors for lung cancer, what comes to mind? Most of us think about the risk associated with smoking cigarettes, but did you know that air pollution can also cause lung cancer? Overwhelming evidence shows that particle pollution in the outdoor air we breathe like that coming from vehicle exhaust, coal-fired power plants and other industrial sources - can cause lung cancer. Particle pollution increases the risk of dying early, heart disease and asthma attacks, and it can also interfere with the growth and function of the lungs. 

What is Particle Pollution?

Particle pollution is a mix of tiny solid and liquid particles in the air and can be made up of a number of components, such as acids, organic chemicals, metals, soil and dust particles. It can be emitted directly from wood stoves, forest fires, vehicles and other sources, and it can also form from other types of pollution that come from sources like power plants. 

Why does particle pollution harm our bodies?

While breathing in larger sizes of particle pollution can be harmful to our health, smaller particles are more dangerous. Bigger particles can irritate your eyes, nose and throat, but our natural defenses help us to cough or sneeze them out of our bodies. Unfortunately, those defenses don't keep out smaller particles, which get trapped deep in the lungs and can even get into the bloodstream, causing damage to our health.



Who is most at risk?

As for who is at risk for health problems from breathing in particle pollution. Those who live where particle pollution levels are high is at risk. Some people face higher risk, including children, the elderly, people with lung and heart disease and diabetes, people with low incomes, and people who work or exercise outdoors.

How do we protect ourselves from particle pollution?

Check the air quality index forecast for the day and limit your activity if pollution levels are high. Avoid exercising along heavily traveled highways regardless of the overall forecast.

As individuals, we can play our part in reducing air pollution levels by trying to avoid creating more of it. Choosing  active travel  options where possible, like walking and cycling, can help reduce pollution levels from transport and is also a great way to be more active, which is linked to a reduced risk of cancer and other diseases. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

The Connection Between Lung Cancer & Outdoor Air Pollution!

Skin cancer occurs when the DNA of the cells undergo mutations, thus causing unsystematic cell growth which evolve into a cancerous mass. This abnormality stems from the over-exposure of your skin to the Ultraviolet Radiations of the sun. 

However, there are other factors too that escalate the risks of skin cancer.

Fairer skin tone: Inadequate pigmentation or melanin content in the skin offers less protection against the harmful UV radiations. Having red or blond hair or light-colored eyes makes you more vulnerable to this condition.
Sunburns: A history of sunburns can often be the root cause behind skin cancer.
Excessive exposure to the sun: If you spend a considerable amount of time under the sun and especially if your skin is not protected by clothing or sunscreen, you tend to get a tan. A tan is the skin s response to extreme UV radiations.
Moles: Abnormally large moles, known as dysplastic nevi, are more likely to turn malignant. Watch out for any change in the texture of the moles, which is one of the most important symptoms of skin cancer.
Family history: According to studies, genes are considered to be one of the causes behind skin cancer. Hence, a family history of this condition could spell trouble for one.
Personal history: Having suffered from skin cancer previously in life could endanger one even more.
Pre-cancerous skin injury: Skin lesions, also known as actinic keratosis, make you prone to developing pre-cancerous growths on the skin. These could appear as scaly rough patches, ranging from brown to pink in color. They usually crop up on the hands, head and faces of people who are comparatively of a fairer skin tone.
A weak immune system: People having a poor immunity system, including the ones affected by HIV/AIDS or are on immunosuppressant drugs which follow any organ transplantation have greater risks of developing cancer.
Exposure to radiation: Radiation therapy is an often used treatment method for treating various skin conditions such as acne and eczema. Having been exposed to radiations, one could be indisposed to this condition even more.
Exposure to certain chemicals: Exposure to certain substances such as arsenic might increase your vulnerability manifold.

Skin Cancer - 10 Things That Can Increase Your Risk!

International Childhood Cancer Day is celebrated annually on 15 February to raise awareness and to express support for children and adolescents with cancer, survivors and their families.

Why is Cancer the biggest Threat to the YOUNG in India?

There are fewer Indians who have successfully battled Cancer and have emerged successful. Yuvraj Singh, the legendary cricketer, who was diagnosed with a rare cancer at 29, survived due to an early detection. Cancer cases in India are not as many as they are in the developed world. However, due to late detection the survival rate in the country is far worse. Particularly, we are losing our youth to Cancer. Most tobacco (pan masala) related cancers and child cancers go undetected until very late.

Few cancers like cervical cancer and breast cancer which affect women of any age, are curable, however, due to lack of awareness and timely screening, many Indian women succumb to these cancers. The most common sites for cancer among men are lung, prostate, colon, rectum, stomach and liver while that among women are breast, colon, rectum, lung, cervix and stomach.

In proportion to our population, we lack the right infrastructure nationwide. esp in the northern and north eastern region, there is a dearth of good cancer facilities, where radiation, care or treatment can be given. Not even one third of cancer patients are alive beyond 5 years after their diagnosis in India, and about 71% of cancer deaths occur in patients in their prime productive years   between the ages of 30 to 69 years.

 Most Indians believe that cancer is generally incurable and that it should be kept secret from neighbors and family.  -  Dr Paul Goss, MD, Harvard University.

All these factors have contributed to a very high mortality rate. No wonder Cancer is dreaded in the country. Investment, infrastructure, lifestyles as well as mindsets need to change if we were to contain the Cancer mortality rate. While you need to watch out for early signs of cancer, here are the lifestyle changes every individual esp. all youth must adopt to avoid cancer.

Avoid Tobacco - both smoking and chewing.

Reduce alcohol intake - Save your organs from deteriorating.

Limit UV ray exposure from the sun - Keeps your skin safe.

Maintain a healthy diet - Include foods rich in Vitamins, minerals and fiber which nourish your body and build immunity.

Increase your level of fitness - Maintain a good bodyweight. Additional flab invites a host of troubles, that includes variety of cancers.

Seeking regular medical checkup or screening - This is the only way to prevent and get detected early on.

International Childhood Cancer Day - Why Cancer Is A Threat For Young?

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