Dr. Prashant Bothra

Breast cancer is an abnormal growth of cells in the tissues of the breast. Mainly it occurs in females but less than 1% of all the breast cancer cases develop in males. The majority of breast cancers start in the milk ducts. A small number start in the milk sacs or lobules. It can spread to the lymph nodes and to the other parts of the body such as bones, liver, lungs and to the brain.

With more reliable early detection methods as well as the trend towards less invasive surgery, there is hope that even more women with breast cancer will be treated successfully and will go on to resume their normal lives.

Signs & Symptoms 
It is painless, especially, during the early stage. Watch out for the following changes in the breast:

1. A persistent lump or thickening in the breast or in the axilla. 
2. A change in the size or shape of the breast. 
3. A change in the colour or appearance of the skin of the breast such as redness, puckering or dimpling. 
4. Bloody discharge from the nipple. 
5. A change in the nipple or areola such as scaliness, persistent rash or nipple retraction (nipple pulled into the breast).

Consult a doctor immediately if you notice any of these changes.

Risk Factors 
Being a woman puts you at risk of getting breast cancer. There are certain factors that increase the risk of breast cancer. Some of them have been listed below:

1. The risk increases with age; most cases of breast cancer develop after the age of 50 
2. Genetic alterations in certain genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA2 
3. Family history of breast cancer 
4. Being overweight 
5. Early menarche (onset of menstruation before the age of 12) 
6. Late menopause (after the age of 55) 
7. Never had children 
8. Late childbearing 
9. No breast feeding 
10. Excessive consumption of alcohol 
11. Use of hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) for a long period of time

However, most women who have breast cancer have none of the above risk factors. Likewise, not having any of these risk factors does not mean that you will not get breast cancer.

Early Detection and Screening

More treatment options are available when breast cancer is diagnosed at an early stage and hence the chances of recovery is also higher. So regular breast screening is important for early detection even if there are no symptoms. Following are the ways of screening:

1. Breast Self-Examination (BSE): Perform BSE once a month about a week after your menses are over. If you no longer menstruate, choose a date each month which is easy to remember e.g. your date of birth or anniversary.
2. Clinical Breast Examination: Get a breast specialist to examine your breast once a year if you are 40 years and above.
3. Mammogram: Go for a screening mammogram once a year if you are 40 to 49 years old and once every two years if you are 50 years and above even if you do not have any symptom. It is not recommended for younger women (less than 40 years of age) as they have dense breasts, making it difficult for small changes to be detected on a mammogram. So ultrasonography of the breasts is advisable to them.

Types of Breast cancer

1. Non-Invasive Breast cancer: These are confined to the ducts within the breasts. They are known as Ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS).
2. Invasive Breast cancer: It occurs when cancer cells spread beyond the ducts or lobules. Cancer cells first spread to the surrounding breast tissue and subsequently to the lymph nodes in the armpit (Axillary lymph nodes). These cells can also travel to the other parts of the body such as bones, liver, lungs or brain and hence known as metastatic breast cancer.

Making A Diagnosis 

If you notice any unusual changes in your breasts, you should see a doctor immediately. He will examine you clinically and may ask you to undergo some tests so that a definitive diagnosis can be made. Further, the staging work up is done to find out the stage of the disease and management accordingly.

Treatment options 
Treatment of breast cancer may include various methods such as surgery with or without breast reconstruction, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy and targeted therapy. Treatment options offered, depend upon the number of factors such as the stage of cancer and likelihood of cure, your general health and your preference. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Cerebral ischaemia or brain ischemia is a medical condition that restricts the flow of blood to the brain, resulting in an unmet metabolic demand. This leads to limited oxygen supply in the brain, which could result in death of brain tissues, cerebral infarction or an ischemic stroke. Thus, a cardiorespiratory arrest, a stroke, and irreversible brain damage are few possible consequences of cerebral ischaemia.

People with compressed blood vessels, low blood pressure, congenital heart defects or sickle cell anaemia have a high risk of developing cerebral ischaemia, since compressed blood vessels or very low pressure can lead to restricted blood flow. Also, sickle-shaped cells have a greater tendency to clot, causing obstructed blood flow.

Patients with cerebral ischaemia experience a host of symptoms, such as weakness in the body, problems in coordination and movement, vision and speech impairment and unconsciousness.

Cerebral congestion, on the other hand, refers to excessive quantity of blood in the brain vessels, causing pressure on the cerebral substance. Cerebral congestion is of two types. It is termed as active when there is too much arterial blood flow and passive when there is undue quantity of venous blood in the veins of the brain. Both conditions cause symptoms, such as severe headache, insomnia, irritability and unconsciousness. The patient gets little sleep and is disturbed, often followed by dreams. When awake, the patient’s mental activity in the brain is very high.

Homeopathy is now a well-established school of medicine backed with years of research and practice. Gone are the days when homeopathy was considered no more than an extension of herbal home remedies. Homeopathic laboratories around the world produce large number of medicines covering almost all ailments. The benefits of homeopathic treatment are now well established due to its holistic approach and minimal side effects. Homeopathy is undoubtedly a ray of hope for patients with cerebral ischaemia and cerebral congestion, as it delivers a comprehensive treatment plan designed to target the signs and symptoms of the disease and address its non-occurrence.

The medications deal with mild to severe symptoms, including inflammation of the brain, headache, vomiting, insomnia, stroke/convulsions and seizures. The stramonium drug, for example, deals with seizures. Belladonna is an effective remedy for sharp shooting headaches, a common symptom of cerebral congestion. Ferrum is believed to be a valuable remedy for brain ischaemia. Few drugs deal with the symptoms of both ischaemia and congestion—nux is a suitable drug for the treatment of ischaemia as well as for passive cerebral congestion. Similarly, phosphorus can be used to treat brain ischaemia and congestion. Zincum metallicum is a highly recommended drug for chronic cases of ischaemia.

The treatment is comprehensive and long term and shows substantive results. Regular follow-ups and consultation with a homeopath specialist is the key to an effective treatment.

The uterus is a muscular structure held in place inside your pelvis with the help of muscles, ligaments, and tissues. These muscles weaken in women due to pregnancy, childbirth or delivery complications and can lead to severe complications. One such complication is a uterine prolapse. Uterine prolapse occurs when the uterus sags or slips from its normal position into the vaginal canal.

The causes of uterine prolapse are varied and include:

- Delivering a large baby
- Pregnancy
- Difficulty in labor and delivery
- Reduction in estrogen levels post menopause
- Traumatic childbirth
- Loss or weakening of the pelvic muscle
- Conditions which lead to increased pressure in the abdominal area such as a chronic cough, straining, pelvic tumors or accumulation of fluid in the abdomen
- Loss of external support due to major surgery in pelvic area

Uterine prolapse can be complete or incomplete depending on how far the uterus sags into the vagina. Women who have minor uterine prolapse may not have any visible symptoms. However, if the condition worsens, it manifests itself in visible signs.

Symptoms of moderate or severe prolapse are:

1. A feeling of fullness or pressure in your pelvis when you sit
2. Seeing the uterus or cervix coming out of the vagina
3. Vaginal bleeding or increased discharge
4. Painful sexual intercourse
5. Recurrent bladder infections
6. Continuing back pain with difficulty in walking, urinating and moving your bowels

Without proper attention, the condition can cause impairments in the bowel, and can also affect bladder and sexual function. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a gynaecologist.

As life expectancy is increasing so is the incidence of vertebral body (VB) fractures now being the commonest fracture of the body. PVP is an established interventional technique in which bone cement is injected under local anaesthesia via a needle into a fractured VB with imaging guidance providing instant pain relief, increased bone strength, stability, decreasing analgesic medicines, increased mobility with improved quality of life and early return to work in days.

In this era of minimally access surgery replacing open surgeries, PVP is a novel procedure & should be in the first line of management in place of conservatism or major spine surgery for painful uncomplicated compression fracture spine.

Morbidity & consequences of spinal fracture:

• Traumatic VB is a painful condition requiring bed rest restricting daily activities markedly
• Left untreated it can cause DVT, increase osteoporosis, loss of VB height, respiratory & GI disturbances, emotional & social problems secondary to unremitting pain, loss of independence with high cost of rehabilitation.
• High risk of primary or consequential damage to neural, bony or disc element
• Increased wedging, deformity & increase incidence of adjacent VB
• Chronic pain of altered spine mechanics
• Uncomfortable braces & sleep disturbance because of pain & discomfort with its sequels.
• Cost of surgery and hospital treatment
• Cost of implants
• Phobia of surgery
• Prolonged recovery period & Extensive rehabilitation
• Changed spinal mechanics & transition syndrome
• Major surgery & anesthesia with its own complications

Results / Outcome

• PVP is a novel procedure with high benefit to risk ratio, which is highly underutilized in relation to the high prevalence of the vertebral.
• Different studies show an immediate pain relief in (85 – 90)% of patients with low complication rate ranging from (1-5)% depending upon the type of lesion.
• PVP does augment height of VB but ideal would be kyphoplasty
• Patient is either off medicine or on reduced doses.
• Patient feels so well that he almost forgets if he had VB
   

Percutaneous Vertebroplasty (PVP) is an emerging interventional technique in which surgical polymethyl methacrylate bone cement is injected under local anaesthesia via a large bore needle into a vertebral body (VB) under imaging guidance providing increased bone strength, stability, pain relief, decreased analgesics, increased mobility with improved QOL and early return to work. Started in 1984 by Galibert PVP is done in host of indications.

Senile osteoporotic compression remains the commonest Indication. Other indications are  Metastatic VB,  Multiple myeloma VB, VB haemangioma,  Vertebral osteonecrosis & for strengthening VB before major spinal surgery. The benefit has been extended to the traumatic stable uncomplicated VB compression (VCF)   which is commoner in younger age group with active life profile and prime of their career where strict bed rest and acute or chronic pain are unacceptable and they are more demanding for proactive treatment approach so as to be back to work ASAP.

Discovering the fact that VB is the commonest of body, its incidence >the hip, it becomes imperative to take it more seriously. With increasing life-span there is more of aged osteoporotic population, more so due to sedentary indoor lifestyle and post menopausal osteoporosis.  Diabetics, smokers & alcoholics are at higher risk of developing osteoporosis. I have seen such alcoholic patient developing six spine fractures in just three months time from a single fracture being on complete bed rest.

Quick fix of fracture spine makes patient walk back same day instead of bed rest of months together avoiding morbidity & mortality of prolonged bed rest, making bedridden patient walk, in a way bringing patient  back to normal life.

In this era of MAS replacing open surgeries, PVP is a novel procedure & should be in the first line of management in place of conservatism or major spine surgery for painful uncomplicated compression.

Morbidity & consequenses of spinal 

• Traumatic VB is a painful condition requiring bed rest restricting daily activities markedly.
• Left untreated it can cause DVT, increase osteoporosis, loss of VB height, respiratory &
• GI disturbances, emotional & social problems secondary to unremitting pain, loss of independence with high cost of rehabilitation.
• High risk of primary or consequential damage to neural, bony or disc elements.
• Increased wedging, deformity & increase incidence of adjacent VB
• Chronic pain of altered spine mechanics.
• Uncomfortable braces & sleep disturbance because of pain & discomfort with its sequels.

Morbidity and complication of spinal surgery 

• Cost of surgery and hospital treatment
• Cost of implants
• Phobia of surgery
• Prolonged recovery period & Extensive rehabilitation
• Changed spinal mechanics & transition syndrome
• Major surgery & anesthesia with its own complications

Preparation & Procedure:
X-ray spine in a/p & lat view. CT is more informative of bone & morphology. MRI is good for soft tissue injuries. Ask for pedicle size in all dimensions and construct a 3D image aiming needle placement and cement filling in scan room itself as rehearsal of PVP. This reduces operative time & gives better results. Conventionally PVP is done by hammering the vertebroplasty needle through the bone. Here we use light weight drill to bore through the vertebra. It is important to set the needle at exact entry site & side with right trajectory aiming the defects.

In lateral view needle should go through middle of the pedicle going up to anterior 1/3 of VB. In P/A view the needle can be in midline or paramedian depending upon & if uni/bipedicular approach is planned. Approach varies as per location of vertebra, anterolateral in cervical, costotransverse/parapedicular in thoracic & transpedicular in lumbar vertebra.

Do bone biopsy if there is any doubt about lession. Do dye test (vertebral venography). Make cement more radiopaque by adding barium /or tungsten. Inject cement with 1or2 ml luerlock syringes strictly under fluoroscope in lateral view & cross checking in P/A view. Stop injecting either there is adequate filling or at the first sight of ectopic cement leak. Keep sample cement to see for hardening. Remove needle with rotational movement before cement hardens.

Pain relief is by virtue of different mechanisms postulated :

• Cementing of fragments.
• Thermal neurolysis of VB nerve ending due to heat of polymerization.
• Washing away of nociceptor chemicals.
• Neurolytic action of liquid monomer.
• By allowing early ambulation decreasing pains of immobility & bed rest.

Complications 

1. PVP is generally safe with low risk.
2. Ectopic cement leak is frequent but generally inconsequential.

Outcome 

1. PVP is a novel procedure with high benefit to risk ratio, which is highly underutilized in relation to the high prevalence of the vertebral
2. Different studies show an immediate pain relief in (85 – 90)% of patients with low complication rate ranging from (1-5)% depending upon the type of lesion.
3. PVP does augment height of VB but ideal would be kyphoplasty.
4. Patient is either off medicine or on reduced doses.
5. Patient feels so well that he almost forgets if he had VB

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

Breast Cancer - What exactly is it?
‘Breast cancer’ is a term that is used to refer to a malignant tumour, which has developed from cells present in the breast. Generally, all tumours can be divided into two categories i.e. benign and malignant and it is the malignant tumour that is responsible for causing cancer. Breast cancer generally originates in the cells the  milk producing glands of the breast's or the passage, which carries milk from the glands to the lobules. Additionally, breast cancer can also originate in the stromal tissues, including the fibrous and fatty connective breast tissues.

Breast Cancer: Treatment Options
Treatment for breast cancer depends upon two things: the exact type of the cancer and how advanced the cancer is. Treatment options for breast cancer can thus be broadly divided into two categories as Local treatments and Systemic treatments.

Local Treatments
Treatments that target the tumour without having any effect on the rest of the body are called local treatments. The following types of local treatment options are available for treating breast cancer:

1. Surgery: Surgical breast cancer treatment involves removal of the malignant cancerous tumour in an operation. Smaller tumours can be removed using a surgical process referred to as ‘lumpectomy’, wherein the tumour along with a small amount of healthy tissue surrounding the tumour is removed. For larger tumours, removal of the entire breast becomes mandatory, in a surgical process known as ‘mastectomy’. Women who undergo mastectomy can choose to undergo reconstructive plastic surgery for reconstruction of the removed breast(s).
2. Radiation Therapy: This basically involves using radiation to kill cancer cells present in the body. Radiation therapy is a long-drawn process that usually involves a set number of treatments administered over a long period of time. Radiation therapy is also generally the follow-up procedure after a lumpectomy, or more rarely, a mastectomy.

Systemic Treatments
Treatments involving drugs that are administered via either the mouth or direct injection into the bloodstream are called systemic treatments. These include:

1. Chemotherapy: This includes using drugs to destroy the cancer cells present in the body by stopping the cancer cells from growing and dividing. Chemotherapy can be administered using either an IV (intravenous) tube or via pills that can be swallowed.
2. Hormone Therapy: This treatment option is used for treating tumours which have tested positive for progesterone or oestrogen receptors. Blocking hormones that fuel the tumour’s growth is the basis of this therapy.
3. Targeted Therapy: This targets specific proteins and genes which contribute to growth and survival of the cancer cells. Targeted therapy is an extremely focused treatment, and is very effective in blocking the growth and division of cancer cells, as well as minimizing damage to surrounding healthy cells.

If you are suffering from breast cancer, it is recommended that you undertake Ayurvedic measures for an effective and natural treatment. Breast cancer is a form of cancer that occurs in the cells of your breasts. The breast cells undergo abnormal growth and go out of control. This form of cancer is likely to occur in both women and men, although it is most common in women. A lot of breast cancer cases start from the ducts or lobes, while others start from the cellular lining of your milk ducts.

Ayurvedic view
According to the principles of Ayurveda, your body is based on the tridoshas, which include vata, pitta, and kapha.

1. An imbalance in these doshas can lead to diseases and disruption in your health. Cancer occurs when an imbalance of all the three doshas is experienced.
2. An improper diet and lifestyle account for being the primary reason for this imbalance in doshas, leading to breast cancer.
3. Your digestive fire is also affected, which leads to the accumulation of toxins, thereby blocking all the channels of your body.
4. All these factors are collectively responsible for the development of breast cancer.

Ayurvedic treatment

1. Ayurvedic treatment for breast cancer is very effective because of its natural approach.
2. Without the use of any chemicals and radiation, you get efficient management by using Ayurvedic remedies for breast cancer.
3. Your body functioning is enhanced without the concern of any negative effect on your health.
4. Several Ayurvedic herbs are used for breast cancer treatment. These herbs help in controlling the abnormal growth of breast cells, and in the later stages of breast cancer, these also help in reducing pain.

The herbs play an important role in preventing the condition from spreading to other organs.

Ashwagandha

• This powerful Ayurvedic herb contains natural rejuvenating properties for your body.
• It also helps in eliminating stress, weakness and fatigue, which are associated with breast cancer.

Curcuma

• This effective Ayurvedic herb contains several medicinal properties.
• It is an antioxidant and helps in reducing free radicals from your body. This is beneficial for an improved health and immunity.
• The herb is capable of dealing with toxins and infections, and is super effective in treating malignant cancers.

Kanhnaar Guggul

• This is an Ayurvedic product, which is obtained by mixing several herbs such as amalaki, haritaki, ginger, kachnar bark and a lot more.
• This is effective in maintaining healthy tissues and cells. It also stops the abnormal growth of cancerous cells.

It is important for you to visit a licensed and experienced Ayurvedic practitioner for getting the best Ayurvedic remedies for breast cancer treatment. This will ensure that you get the most effective remedies, based on your condition.