THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Breast cancer is emerging as a very important public health issue affecting millions of women worldwide. Spreading awareness about this disease is an important step in the attempt to contain the cancer menace. Hence every year the month of October is celebrated as Breast Cancer awareness month aiming at dispelling many misconceptions about this disease. Breast cancer in its early stages is a curable disease, with more than 80 per cent of those treated remaining healthy many years after treatment.
Giving more stress on the quality of life after treatment, surgery, radiation and chemotherapy have all become much safer now. Unfortunately, six out of ten breast cancers in India are still diagnosed when the disease has grown well past the initial stages. Ignorance, social inequalities, fear of the treatment and its unbearable cost are often the reasons suggested for such neglect.
Warning signs
The appearance of a painless lump in the breast or any recent increase in the size of an already existing lump will be a clue. Many have painful swelling of both breasts preceding their monthly bleeding. Similarly, a discharge from nipples is also a sign of cancer, unless it is only from a breast and is bloodstained.
Diagnosing
Examination by a trained medical practitioner is the best method of early cancer diagnosis. Screening mammograms have shown promise in the early detection of breast cancer and had tremendously decreased death rates.
Precautions
All women should consider themselves at a small risk of developing breast cancer. There are certain noticeable factors in a woman’s life leading to an increased risk of breast cancer. Not having children and refraining from breastfeeding is strongly associated with the risk of this cancer. Similarly, females who start to menstruation at a very early age and continue so till a very late age are also at increased risk. Delaying first childbirth beyond 30 years, and use of hormone replacement therapy may also increase breast cancer risk.
Solutions
The most important thing to remember is that early breast cancer is definitely curable. In many patients, surgery no longer requires removal of the entire breast, but only the lump and a few nodes from the armpit. Some patients are even able to avoid chemotherapy altogether, based on the genetic study of their tumours showing a low risk of the disease coming back.
Tumour biology and genetics play a significant role in the present-day management of advanced breast cancer. Targeted treatment options are available to control the disease with limited side effects.
Most patients are now able to get back to their normal lives after successfully completing their treatment. It is a big relief that treatment for advanced diseases has improved tremendously. However, it is much easier, less costly and more effective to detect the disease in early stages, where more than 90 per cent is cured.
Formation of cancer support groups and social rehabilitation networks are big initial steps towards this achievable target. Let us promise to fight down the fear, and move on!
Dr Sandeep Pillai is a Consultant Surgical Oncologist, KIMS CancerCentre, Thiruvananthapurm
(The views expressed by the author are his own)