Dr Rohan Khandelwal is a dynamic and talented breast cancer surgeon specialising in the management of benign & cancerous breast disorders. He credibly leads the Breast Centre, the only dedicated unit in North India offering comprehensive breast health services. He brings with him over 20+ years of experience and has done more than 500 breast cancer surgeries. Dr Rohan has authored 22 articles in various national and international journals, authored 1 book & 1 video and co-authored 2 chapters. He heads the Medical Affairs at Curofy (Doctors networking App) and is also editor-in-chief for the New Indian Journal of Surgery and Journal of Young Medical Researcher. He has previously worked with Safdarjung Hospital, Max Healthcare, Mazumdar Shaw Cancer Center, Narayana Hrudayalaya, and W Pratiksha
Breast Cancer: Warning Signs and How Do You Minimise Your Risk?
Breast cancer is considered to be one of the most common cancers amongst women around the world. Even in India, the number of breast cancer cases reported every year is alarming, with breast cancer accounting for more than 27% of all new cancer cases. Every year, the month of October is celebrated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month as an effort to educate people about this devastating disease.
Dr Rohan Khandelwal, one of the best breast cancer surgeons in Gurgaon explains breast cancer in further detail to create awareness about the importance of routine screening and early warning signs to watch out for.
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Every part of our body is made up of different types of cells which multiply to replace old cells. In some cases, these cells can start multiplying uncontrollably causing a growth called a tumour. If these cells are normal cells, it is considered to be a benign tumour. However, if these cells are abnormal and do not function the way they are supposed to, they are considered to be malignant or cancer cells.
In the case of breast cancer, the cells of breast tissue start multiplying. In the initial stages, this is limited to the breast tissue. However, in advanced cases, it can invade and start growing on the tissue surrounding the breast. In more advanced stages, cancer spreads to the rest of the body, resulting in new tumours. This process is called metastasis.
While the exact causes of breast cancer are still unknown, several risk factors have been identified through years of medical research. It is still unclear why some women who have no risk factors can also develop breast cancer while some women who are at very high risk never get affected. It is best to stay cautious and aware of warning signs, risk factors and preventive measures.
A family history of breast cancer is a risk factor that should not be ignored. If any relatives in your family are affected by breast cancer, your risk of developing it is high. Today it is possible to do genetic testing to detect the presence of cancer genes. In such cases, preventative measures can be taken such as a mastectomy.
French fries, burgers, colas may be your favourite snacking options, but do not ignore the damage they cause. Red meat, saturated fats, processed food can all cause cancer of the breast, stomach, bowels, mouth and food pipe. It is important to follow a balanced diet with plenty of fibre-rich food, whole grains, fruits, vegetables etc. Switch to lean proteins such as chicken and fish. Consuming a little bit of turmeric daily has also been shown to have positive benefits.
Obesity is a complex condition that can result in several health complications such as heart disease, hypertension, type II diabetes etc. Being obese or overweight can also increase your chance of getting breast cancer, especially if you are post-menopause. In such cases, you are advised to go for breast cancer screening with a mammogram at least once a year. Breast cancer is easily treated if detected early. Hence, routine screening goes a long way in minimising the impact of breast cancer.
Regular consumption of alcohol increases your risk of developing breast cancer.
Consumption of tobacco especially smoking, can result in a wide range of illnesses including cancers of the head and neck as well as breast cancer. There are several support groups available to help people quit smoking.
Related Read: Everything you need to know about breast density
Unfortunately, there are still no ways to completely eliminate the risk of breast cancer. Risk factors such as inherited changes in certain genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2), family history etc are beyond our control. You can however minimise its impact by detecting it early on. Early detection offers the best protection against breast cancer.
In your busy life, how often have you looked and felt your breasts to spot any changes in them? Every month, performing a breast self-examination is recommended. This will help you familiarize yourself with your breasts, enabling you to detect any changes easily.
Ideally, you should consult a doctor if you spot any change in your breast. This can range from an unusual pain that doesn’t go away or any type of discharge.
The following signs are indicative of changes in your breast and possible symptoms of breast cancer that need immediate attention.
Read: Breast Cancer Symptoms and Warning Signs
Keep checking for any abnormalities/unusual changes in your breast from time to time. It is recommended that if you are over 40 years of age, you should seek annual breast cancer screening with a mammogram. Breast cancer in the early stages may not even require surgery. Hence early detection is your best chance against breast cancer. Consult our experts/surgeons at The Breast Centre to assess your risk and help detect breast cancer in its early stages.
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Your guide to understanding benign breast conditions
Human beings have a natural tendency to be health anxious, especially with regards to some areas of our body, for instance, breasts. If you were to wake up with an abnormality in your breast size, shape, touch or appearance, you would most likely assume it to be cancer. And rightly so, considering the high prevalence of breast cancer with nearly 2 million people affected. However, irrespective of the rising incidence, not all breast abnormalities are cancer. Benign breast conditions or noncancerous breast conditions are also commonplace.
In this article, Dr Rohan Khandelwal, a leading breast specialist in Gurgaon at the CK Birla Hospital, explains everything there is to know about benign breast conditions.
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Benign, by definition, means non-malignant aka non-cancerous. Benign breast conditions (also referred to as benign breast disease) are non-cancerous tumours or diseases that affect the breast area.
Noncancerous breast conditions indicate the presence of unusual growths that are not related to cancer cells. These growths appear in the form of breast lumps and are often misunderstood for cancer tumours. However, a majority of breast lumps are found to be benign upon diagnosis.
While a benign breast lump may not be presently associated with cancer, it may raise your chances of developing breast cancer in the distant future. Medical experts provide a classification of breast diseases based on the risk they pose for breast cancer.
Therefore, benign breast lumps classification includes three categories:
Also called non-proliferative breast lumps or lesions, they are typically associated with no risk of developing into breast cancer later.
Common examples of such conditions include:
The risk of cancer with such conditions is generally very minor. Sometimes, they warrant a close watch by doctors to ensure that the cells do not continue to divide.
The conditions in this category are:
Other breast conditions include Juvenile Papillomatosis, Peripheral Intraductal Papillomas, and Usual Ductal or Lobular Hyperplasia.
In all of these conditions, there is an overgrowth of breast cells. But these cells are otherwise normal. Doctors may advise adopting healthy lifestyle behaviours.
Also called ‘Atypical hyperplasia’, this is a condition wherein unusual-looking cells divide excessively. Although not an apparent symptom, it does moderately increase a person’s risk of developing breast cancer in the long term.
The treatment may include removal of cells around that area as well as paying closer attention to breast health.
The symptoms of a benign breast lump and breast cancer often overlap. You may feel overwhelmed and scared after discovering the initial symptoms. However, mostly, these atypical growths are diagnosed as benign. Benign breast conditions are so common that up to 50% of all women experience one such disease once during their lifetime.
There are several different types of benign breast diseases that affect every person uniquely. Only a qualified medical professional can diagnose these diseases correctly. Some common signs and symptoms of benign breast disease include:
You must consult a breast specialist even when a single symptom is seen. All of the above signs and symptoms require further testing and investigation.
Benign breast conditions can affect a person in the form of various conditions. Some common diseases include:
Other types of benign breast diseases include mammary duct ectasia, traumatic fat necrosis, mastitis, granular cell tumours and more.
Since there is a wide range of benign breast diseases, there are multiple reasons why they occur. Some common reasons for the development of non cancerous breast conditions are:
Anyone can be affected by non cancerous breast conditions. However, some people are at a greater risk than others. You are more likely to have a benign breast disease, if:
It is common to mistake a benign breast lump for breast cancer. It is important that you seek urgent clinical help upon discovering any of the above-mentioned symptoms. The diagnosis of a benign breast disease starts similar to the diagnosis of breast cancer.
Your healthcare provider will order a variety of tests to eliminate the possibility of cancer and identify the type of benign disease. Some common tests include:
Other diagnostic tests may also be ordered if your doctor suspects the need for them or a suspicious lump in breast ultrasound appears.
Your treatment plan for a benign breast disease depends upon its type and severity of symptoms. Most of the benign breast diseases do not require any treatment and do not cause any painful symptoms. These conditions tend to subside on their own.
If you are wondering about breast lump when to worry, you may consult your healthcare provider upon experiencing extreme pain or discomfort. Your doctor may offer relevant treatment, accordingly.
As mentioned above, most breast lumps shrink on their own without causing any pain or discomfort. However, you can speed up the treatment of breast lumps naturally.
Here listed are some home remedies that can help to cure breast lumps.
Please note, you should consult with your healthcare provider before applying any of these measures.
Benign breast tumor, by description, are non-cancerous. A majority of benign breast diseases do not turn malignant, that is, cancerous. However, some of them may increase your risk of developing cancer cells.
Simple and fibrosis cysts can be treated if they are causing pain or discomfort. The fluid in these cysts can be drained by inserting a thin and hollow needle in the cyst.
Benign breast conditions are highly common in women across all ages. However, these diseases are not a cause for concern.
If you detect any symptoms that may signal a problem, seek immediate health care. Frequent breast exams and timely treatment will help doctors address complications in time and suggest corrective measures.
For more information on what is benign breast disease, book an appointment with Dr Rohan Khandelwal, the best breast cancer specialist in Gurgaon at the CK Birla Hospital.
Also, watch Dr Rohan Khandelwal, Breast cancer specialist at the CK Birla Hospital sheds some more light on this condition:
Ques: Do benign breast tumours need to be removed?
Ans: If your doctor suspects an abnormality in benign breast tumour along with severe symptoms and pain, they may suggest to surgically remove it.
Ques: Can a benign breast lump turn into cancer?
Ans: No, most benign breast lumps do not turn into cancer.
Ques: What happens if you have a benign breast lump?
Ans: Benign breast lumps are non-malignant and do not usually require clinical intervention.
Ques: What does a benign breast lump feel like?
Ans: Benign breast lumps are soft and usually have smooth edges. These lumps can be moved slightly when pushed.
Ques: Is it necessary to remove benign breast lumps?
Ans: Most often, a benign lump does not need treatment. Surgery may be done if you experience pain, discomfort or other symptoms.
Ques: Are benign breast conditions & cancer common in men?
Ans: Men are at a much lower risk of breast cancer or breast conditions than their female counterparts, although they can develop similar breast conditions, too.
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Breast cancer treatment: lumpectomy vs mastectomy
“Cancer is a word, not a sentence”
Nearly 1 in 8 women (13%) will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. It can be appalling to receive a breast cancer diagnosis and be that one woman. However, the constant progress of medical science offers hope at times of distress. Patients are faced with breast cancer treatment options almost immediately after they discover this ailment. It is, especially, ordinary for patients with early-stage cancer to have a choice of treatment.
While having a range of treatment options is great, it can also be stressful to make the best choice. Early-stage breast cancer patients face the dilemma of choosing between lumpectomy vs mastectomy.
This article explores the difference between lumpectomy and mastectomy.
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The objective of a breast cancer treatment is to remove the cancerous cells from the body and stop them from spreading further. There are several different types of treatment modalities for breast cancer.
Breast cancer treatment is mostly offered by combining more than one methods. Lumpectomy or mastectomy are also used in conjunction with other measures such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, breast reconstruction surgery and more.
Lumpectomy vs mastectomy for breast cancer are surgical procedures aimed at removing cancer cells from the breast. They are both effective for specific patients.
Lumpectomy: Lumpectomy surgery is a type of breast-conserving surgery. In this procedure, your breast cancer surgeon removes the tumour inside your breast. Along with tumour, he/she also removes some amount of surrounding healthy tissues to stop the spread of cancer.
In most cases, radiation therapy is also offered after lumpectomy to prevent recurrence of the disease.
Mastectomy: Mastectomy is the surgical removal of the entire breast for the management of cancer. This procedure is further categorised into five types –
Several medical factors contribute to deciding the most suitable breast cancer treatment. The size and location of the tumour, your overall health, your medical history, family history of the disease and age are some determinants that doctors take into account.
However, personal reasons are also regarded when treatment is being sought for early stages of breast cancer.
Here is what you should consider if you are perplexed on how to decide between lumpectomy or mastectomy:
Lumpectomy and mastectomy surgery are both safe procedures. However, certain risks and complications are associated with these surgeries. Some of the common side-effects include pain, the chance of infection, bleeding and more.
If you choose to undergo lumpectomy, your healthcare provider will suggest you have radiation therapy for the completion of treatment. Radiation therapy has added side-effects that are likely to impact your general health. These include fatigue, damage to surrounding tissues, low white blood cell count, skin problems such as redness, itchiness etc.
While lumpectomy provides you with a way to preserve your breast partially, it also allows for a chance of cancer recurrence. Cancer cells may occur again in the breast after a lumpectomy. In such a rare case of recurrence, you may need another course of breast cancer treatment.
On the other hand, mastectomy surgery provides full and final relief from cancer in the breast with almost no chance of recurrence. In a post mastectomy care, you would also not need any other procedures as it offers maximum benefits alone.
The overall recovery period and care after lumpectomy or mastectomy are unique for each patient. It depends upon factors such as the stage of cancer, your general wellbeing, age and more. Your recovery may be lengthier based on the additional treatments you have.
Besides the medical prerequisites, you can choose between lumpectomy and mastectomy for breast cancer based on their effect on your appearance.
Mastectomy surgery is the process in which breast is completely removed. Breasts are often an important aspect of a woman’s identity and a complete absence of breast can impact her psychologically and emotionally. You can choose to have a breast reconstruction surgery after mastectomy. Nonetheless, this surgery also has its particular medical necessities and expenses.
While you can choose to have breast reconstruction post care after lumpectomy, the possibilities of the same become limited. It is because radiation therapy after lumpectomy affects the timing and options of reconstruction.
Questions to ask yourself on lumpectomy or mastectomy how to decide
If you have the choice to decide between lumpectomy and mastectomy, you should think through your options. Ask yourself:
Breast cancer treatment options should only give you hope and not anxiety. By learning more about your choices, you can make an informed decision. You should note that your personal preferences will be kept secondary to medical necessities. The primary objective is to get rid of cancer cells as safely and permanently as possible.
For more information on lumpectomy and mastectomy for breast cancer treatment, visit our world-class breast centre at the CK Birla Hospital.
Book an appointment with Dr Rohan Khandelwal for personalised guidance on breast health.
Ques: Is it better to have a mastectomy than a lumpectomy?
Ans: Mastectomy and lumpectomy are both effective breast cancer treatment measures. The appropriate surgery depends upon the health of the patient & size and location of cancer.
Ques: What stage of breast cancer requires a mastectomy?
Ans: Breast cancer, detected in early stage, can be treated effectively with mastectomy. On average, mastectomy is suited for stage II breast cancers.
Ques: What stage of breast cancer requires a lumpectomy?
Ans: Similar to mastectomy, lumpectomy surgery is also performed on a patient with stage II cancer. However, other factors such as the severity of symptoms, patient’s age and health are taken into regard.
Ques: Can I lay flat after a mastectomy?
Ans: Yes, after breast cancer surgery, a patient is asked to remain on her back until healed enough to lay sideways. However, since each patient is unique, your breast surgeon will offer you specific guidelines.
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