FAQ
What are the main fears of breast cancer patients?
Upon getting diagnosed, patients generally fear to lose their life as they misunderstand all stages of breast cancer to be final. Another concern for breast cancer patients is whether they would have to give up their breast to get rid of cancer. A simple answer to that is that it depends on which stage it is. In the early stages, the lump can be removed and the patient could undergo a whole plastic reconstructive surgery to make it look like a completely normal breast post the removal of the cancerous tumour.
How can one determine the type of surgery to be done?
The type of surgery is determined based on the stage of the tumour. Despite tumours and breasts of large sizes, a lumpectomy can be performed to remove advanced tumours as well. Most often, patients undergo breast conservation surgery. Empty spaces can be covered with new tissues and reconstructed to make it look like a normal breast again. Only in locally advanced tumours mastectomy is taken place by surgically removing the breast and sometimes nearby tissues.
How can women foresee symptoms of breast cancer and what are the risk factors?
Being a woman, the risk factors of breast cancer include ageing and also genetics. However, 85% of women get breast cancer due to environmental risk factors such as chemicals in the body, toxins, vitamin D deficiency and other factors that affect the strength of the immune system. Thus, leads to increased estrogen levels in the body are a high-risk factor for healthy cells in the body.
Who should screen themselves for breast cancer?
Ideally, all women of the age of 16 must screen themselves for breast cancer and also ultrasound test for the breast till the age of 40 despite any visible symptoms or not. Mammography only needs to be done if prescribed by a doctor unless you are above the age of 50.
When one gets breast reconstructive surgery?
The first option would be to get an immediate breast reconstruction surgery that is done at the same time as the mastectomy is done. The main advantage of this would be the relieving stress of not having a breast after the surgery and that it can be done in a single procedure. Another option would be to get a delayed reconstructive surgery after the surgery and chemotherapy radiation. In some cases, the patients want an implant-based reconstruction wherein a patient needs to go under radiation which makes it complicated to place implants directly. In this case, we use saline expanders which is a temporary reconstruction that maintains the shape of the breasts. This could be replaced with a silicone implant after the chemotherapy and radiation courses are completed.
How does breast reconstructive surgery take place?
In the early stages of cancer, only a part of the breast tissues are removed and the patient undergoes an oncoplastic reconstructive surgery to reshape the breasts. A whole breast reconstructive surgery could be done by 2 methods - one that involves implants and the other that involves infusion of the tissues from other parts of the patient's body to their breast. The first method is easy and has the shortest healing period, however, the second method is a more authentic procedure where no foreign components are added to the breasts.
Does the chance of recurrence of breast cancer increase after implants?
Definitely no, as the implants are placed below muscle tissues and hence don’t come in direct contact with the breasts at all. However, it might be challenging to detect recurrence just through an ultrasound, an MRI must also be done.
Does a breast reduction procedure make you less susceptible to breast cancer?
Yes as it reduces the volume of the breast, however, the environmental risk factors persist despite the reduction of volume. Infections in the breasts are also one of the high-risk factors.
Why is it important to spread awareness for breast cancer?
It is essential as breast cancer grows very slowly in women’s bodies and is harder to cure with chemotherapy in its advanced stages.
