Dr. Sucharita Jain

Detecting a lump on your breasts can be stressful for any women. Breast cancer is a common type of cancer and is said to affect primarily affect women though 1% of breast cancer cases affect men. Breast cancer can be categorized into different types based on their capability to affect surrounding tissues.

The most common amongst these are:

• Ductal carcinoma in situ
• Invasive ductal carcinoma
• Invasive lobular carcinoma

Breast cancer is caused by mutations of a person’s DNA cells. This could be inherited from one’s parents or acquired by an unhealthy lifestyle. These DNA mutations cause cells in the breast tissue to multiply rapidly and turn cancerous. The risk factors for breast cancer can be categorized as modifiable and non-modifiable.

Modifiable risk factors:

• Excessive alcohol consumption
• Obesity
• Use of combined hormone therapy after menopause
• Lack of exercise

Non-modifiable risk factors:

• Age
• Family Medical History
• Personal Medical History
• Atypical hyperplasia
• Early start of menstruation cycle
• Presence of dense breast tissue
• Inherited genetic mutations

As with any other type of cancer, the earlier it is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat. In its early stages, breast cancer is not painful and has negligible symptoms. In most cases, it is detected only by finding a lump on the breast or through a mammography. This lump may also be present in the armpit or above the collar bone. Some of the other symptoms of breast cancer include:

• Nipple inversion
• Discharge from the nipples
• Changes in the colour and texture of skin covering the breast

Breast cancer has five stages beginning from 0 and going up to 4. This is based on the size of the tumour, involvement of lymph nodes and whether or not metastasis has occurred.

• Stage 0: At this stage, the tumour does not affect the lymph nodes and has not metastasized. Thus at this stage, it is noninvasive.
• Stage I:  In this case the tumour is smaller than 2 cm in diameter and has not spread to any of the surrounding tissues.
• Stage II: In this stage, the cancerous tumours are still fairly small in size but also affect the surrounding lymph nodes.
• Stage III: These tumours are larger than 5 cm in diameter and involve the lymph nodes to a greater extent.
• Stage IV: This is also known as metastatic breast cancer. In this stage, the cancer cells metastasize to other parts of the body.

Surgery is the most preferred form of treatment for breast cancer. This may be combined with radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapy or hormone therapy depending on the stage and type of cancer, the patient's overall health, age and personal preferences. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Breast Cancer - Know Its Symptoms!

The most powerful and amazing organ in our body is the brain. It differs from many other organs of our body not only by its shape, but also by its special type of cell called neurons. When these cells gets affected or dead it can never be reverted or regenerated which is the most exclusive nature found only in brain cells. The cells in other parts of our body has the capacity to regenerate (can be replaced or new one can be grown or produced), but brain cells are exception. Hence any damage to the brain, injury or trauma is really a crucial thing to be considered with utmost care.

Brain surgeries really need skill, proper training, confidence and intelligence to perform this highly complicated and risky surgery.

Purpose:
Brain surgeries are performed to:

1. Remove the brain tissues that are grown abnormally
2. Aneurysm is clipped to prevent flow of blood cliff off an aneurysm
3. Biopsy purpose or to remove the tumour
4. Make a nerve free
5. Drain the abnormal blood or clot collection or to drain any excessive fluid collection caused by infection.
6. To implant artificial electronic device as a treatment for conditions like Parkinson’s disease

Types:

1. Biopsy: A part of brain tissue is removed for the brain or whole tumour is removed.
2. Craniotomy: The skull bone is opened to remove tumour, an aneurysm and drain fluid or blood from infection.
3. Minimally invasive endonasal endoscopic surgery: Endoscopic devices are inserted through the nose to remove the lesions or tumour.
4. Minimally invasive neuroendoscopy: Similar to endonasal surgery but small incision is made.

Risks:

1. Anaesthesia risks like breathing difficulty, allergic reaction to medications, excessive bleeding or clots and infection.
2. Risk related to the brain surgeries are seizures, coma, swelling of brain, infection to brain or meanings, surgical wound infection that intrudes to the brain structures, abnormal clot formation and bleeding.
3. General risks include muscle weakness, disturbances in memory, speech, vision, coordination, balance and other functions that are controlled by the brain.

Fibroids are non-cancerous growth that develop in the uterus in varying sizes. Fibroids do not usually show symptoms, but if they are large they may cause severe pain in the abdomen, heavy menstrual bleeding, bloating, infertility or complications during pregnancy. Several factors may lead to the formation of fibroids, including hormones, family history, and pregnancy.

What is myomectomy?

Myomectomy is the surgical procedure which is used for removing fibroids from the uterus. It is a safe method that allows women to become pregnant in future. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue therapy, performed before myomectomy helps in lowering the estrogen level and also controls anemia by stopping uterine bleeding. The different surgical methods for myomectomy include:

• Hysteroscopy, involving the insertion of a lighted viewing instrument into the uterus
• Laparoscopy, involving the insertion of a lighted viewing instrument and one or more incisions in the abdomen
• Laparotomy, involving a larger incision made in the abdomen

Why is the surgery performed?

Myomectomy treats fibroids while preserving the uterus. It is a viable option for those who have:

• Anemia which cannot be controlled with medicines
• Pain which cannot be tackled with medicines
• A fibroid that can cause infertility or increases the risk of miscarriages

How well does it work?

• Pregnancy: myomectomy is the only treatment for treating fibroids that improve your chances of having a baby. The method is effective for treating submucosal fibroid. A cesarean section is required for delivery after performing a myomectomy.
• Recurrence: recurrence of fibroids after myomectomy is really low. It is possible in rare cases, depending on what the original fibroid problem was. Large and numerous fibroids have a greater risk of recurrence. Consult an expert & get answers to your questions!