Early detection and treatment of breast cancer are key to reducing fatalities. If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, you need to know that while there may be no single magic cure for the disease, it is treatable.
There are various modalities which can be applied to the treatment depending on the stage of cancer. Medication, radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery are some ways to make your life easier if you are diagnosed with breast cancer.
How is breast cancer detected?
When a woman has symptoms like unusual nipple discharge, lumps in her breasts, and skin irritation with pain, the doctor will further investigate to see whether it is breast cancer.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that self-examination is key, and make sure to visit your doctor if you feel like anything is wrong.
How do doctors come up with the diagnosis?
According to Dr. Mou Roy of Narayana Speciality Hospital, doctors use the triple method of assessment to evaluate the patient and come up with a correct diagnosis.
The first mode of assessment is a clinical breast examination by a surgeon. The surgeon will look for any abnormalities in the skin or lumps in the breasts or armpits.
The second mode of assessment is a biopsy of the abnormality or lump found in the breast, to check whether it is cancer. If cancer is found, it is further investigated by conducting a breast cancer panel investigation.
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The third mode of assessment is known as the imaging modality. If a patient is below the age of forty, sonography is done, and if the patient is older, mammography is done.
After the completion of these three modalities is when a doctor can declare whether the patient has cancer. Following the assessment, a CT scan is done to see whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.
How is breast cancer treated?
The mode of treatment for breast cancer differs depending on the stage of cancer. According to Dr. Rushabh Kothari from the Narayana Multispeciality Hospital, the following are the various treatments for breast cancer.
For stage one or two of breast cancer, surgery is the usual mode of treatment. There are two types of surgeries that can be done, breast conservation surgery and modified radical mastectomy to extract the cancerous lump from the breast. Depending on the results of the surgery, it is decided whether radiation or chemotherapy is required.
For stage three of breast cancer, chemotherapy is the first mode of treatment. There are generally eight cycles of chemotherapy that are given to the patient over the period of three to four weeks depending on their health. After the completion of the chemotherapy, mammography is done to decide the surgery required for the patient. Depending on the result of the surgery, radiation, targeted therapy or hormone therapy is done.
For stage four or metastatic breast cancer, hormone, targeted or chemotherapy are usually the modes of treatment. Surgery or radiation is not opted for in this case.
In cases of stage one or two breast cancer, the complete remission of the disease is 90%, for stage three it is 60%, and in the case of stage four, the disease cannot be cured but the life of the patient can be prolonged.