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Dr Venkat About Colorectal Cancer
Dr Venkat About Colorectal Cancer
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Breast Cancer Treatment
Breast cancer is a disease wherein an uncontrollable growth of cells occurs. There are different kinds of breast cancer. The kind of breast cancer depends on which cells in the breast turn into cancer. Most types of breast cancers begin in the ducts or lobules. It is the most common type of cancer found in Indian women, where over 14% of cancer diagnoses are breast cancer.
Types of Breast Cancer:
The most common kinds of breast cancer are stated below:
- Invasive ductal carcinoma: The cancer cells of this type begins in the ducts and then grow outside into other parts of the breast tissue. Invasive cancer cells can also spread or metastasize to other parts of the body.
- Invasive lobular carcinoma: The cancer cells of this type begins in the lobules and then spreads to the breast tissues that are close by. These invasive cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body.
Causes:
Breast cancer can occur in both men and women, but it's far more common in women. About 5 to 10% of breast cancers are linked to inherited mutated genes breast cancer gene 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer gene 2 (BRCA2), both of which significantly increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
Risk factors that contribute to the development of Breast Cancer:
- The risk for breast cancer increases with age. Most breast cancers are diagnosed after age 50.
- Women who have the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are at higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
- Longer exposure to hormones raises the risk of getting breast cancer.
- Women with dense breasts who have more connective tissue than fatty tissue are more likely to get breast cancer.
- Women who have had breast cancer are more likely to get breast cancer a second time.
- Family history of breast or ovarian cancer increases the risks.
- Previous treatment using radiation therapy before the age of 30 have a higher risk.
- Not being physically active increases the risk of getting breast cancer.
- Being overweight or having obesity after menopause has higher risks.
Signs of Breast Cancer can be identified through these symptoms:
New lump in the breast or underarm.
Thickening or swelling of part of the breast.
Irritation or dimpling of breast skin.
Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast.
Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area.
Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
Pain in any area of the breast.
In addition to asking about symptoms, your doctor and our specialists do a thorough evaluation to review your medical history and conduct a physical exam, which involves examining for abnormalities. At Veritas Cancer Care, we employ the latest tests to arrive at a suitable prognosis and formulate a specialised treatment plan based on your needs. We have several methods of diagnosis to treat breast cancer:
Biopsy
Biopsy methods are dependent on the type of cancer. A small sample of the suspicious breast tissue is examined by pathologists under a microscope for signs of cancer to inform your treatment and eliminate the treatments that would not work for your type of cancer. Further, IHC (immunohistochemistry) is done on the tumor tissue to do the genomic profiling of the tumor, which helps in planning the correct treatment.
Clinical breast examination
A trained medical professional examines the patient's breasts for any irregularities. Any changes in the colour of the skin of the breast or nipples are also noted.
Diagnostic imaging
This includes taking scans such as CT scans, PET scans, MRIs and ultrasounds. Using these scans, your doctor can advice a treatment plan that would help you.
- Mammogram: It is an x-ray taken of the breast tissue. These images show any irregularities in the breast tissues. It is generally advised that women above the age of 40 get annual mammograms.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): An MRI scan uses radio waves and strong magnets to create cross-sectional pictures of your body. We use MRI to examine skin thickening or suspicious masses to determine the type of cancer.
- Ultrasound: This imaging uses sound waves to show details of the breasts and any tumors, such as size and location. Ultrasounds are used to determine whether a lump is a fluid-filled cyst or a solid mass.
The types of standard treatment used to treat breast cancers are:
Regaining the quality of life of a patient recovering from breast cancer can be challenging. At Veritas Cancer Care, we aim to provide our patients with the utmost care and comfort they need during their treatment and remission and improve their quality of life as much as possible. Our team here is dedicated to our patients and, while cancer is a daunting illness, we provide you with all the help and hope you need to recover.
The oncological team at Veritas Cancer Care is headed by Dr Venkat P, a highly-trained surgical oncologist and robotic surgeon experienced in treating breast cancer. With over 22 years of experience, he has managed around 25,000 oncological cases and performed over 20,000 surgeries. Being one of the very few surgeons in the country highly trained in the latest treatment procedures such as robotic surgery, ERAS and fluorescence-guided surgery, Dr Venkat is a renowned surgical oncologist with various awards to his credit. At Veritas, we guarantee you will receive prompt care and treatment in his safe and experienced hands.
Veritas Cancer Care is also one of the few cancer teams in Chennai to use the latest methods in breast cancer treatment. Headed by Dr Venkat P, we guarantee you will receive prompt care and treatment in his safe and experienced hands.
