Here's How To Live With Dignity And Pride Post-Breast Cancer Detection

World Breast Cancer Awareness Month: All you need to know about breast cancer

World Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2022: Every woman has the right to live with dignity and confidence. Hence though breast cancer is the commonest cancer in women, there are loads of advances and research which make it one the most preventable, easily detectable screen cancer with varied modalities of treatment which have advanced in all ways to give the best quality of life and high cure rates to these cancer patients. Dr Meghal Sanghavi, Breast Cancer Surgeon at Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central, shares all about the life of breast cancer patients in India.

Breast Cancer Surgeries

Most breast cancer surgeries now do not need complete breast removal. Breast conservation surgeries with excellent cosmetic outcomes are a norm nowadays and are achievable with or without reconstruction techniques like oncoplastic, local flaps etc. even in a select few where complete breast removal is required, the option of full breast reconstruction always exists. Though chemotherapy is dreaded by most patients who feel it has many side effects, it is not valid.

Chemotherapy: Advantages And Side Effects

Most immediate side effects have much less intensity than in older days due to advances, newer drugs, and peri-chemotherapy management.

1. While for the dreaded side effect of chemotherapy, hair loss can also be reduced with the availability of a scalp cooling machine. The point is that hair loss is temporary and grows again once treatment is completed.
2. The advantage of chemotherapy is better and longer survival of patients, and it reduces the chances of disease from coming back. In the selective eligible group of patients' chemotherapy can be avoided.

Radiation Therapy Advancement

1. Advances in radiation therapy have helped to give focused radiation to the affected area only and thus help reduce radiation side effects to surrounding organs like the heart, lungs, etc., thereby reducing complications. Targeted therapy in those eligible patients has helped achieve significantly higher cure rates.
2. Along with this multimodality treatment, every breast cancer's emotional and mental well-being is equally important, and so is her quality of life. Hence there has to be a systematic approach to ensure that her nutritional balance is maintained by involving a nutritionist to format a tailor-made diet to suit her liking.

Breast Cancer Patients In India

1. Post-surgery regular physiotherapy is also required to provide a full range of arm movements and to avoid lymphoedema or swelling of the arm. Also, other comorbidities like diabetes and blood pressure should be controlled to prevent untoward complications during ongoing treatment.
2. Every woman is precious, and with thorough counselling and a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nutritionists, physiotherapy, and proper communication, Each Breast Cancer patient in India is not just a Survivor but a Fighter who can Win the War against this dreaded disease.

Conclusion:Last but not least, one must know even Men, though very rarely but can get Breast Cancer, and treatment options for the same are on similar lines. So this October, let us pledge to Be Aware, Be Safe and spread Awareness about Breast Cancer so we can defeat this dreaded disease.