Breast Conserving Surgery - Part 1

Breast cancers are common cancers in women. In this Breast-conserving surgery, the oncology doctors remove the cancer tissues and some normal tissues surrounding it but leave the rest of the breast intact. Watch Dr. Kriti Katherine Kabeer, Breast specialist and oncoplastic surgeon in Kauvery Hospital, explain this surgery's details.

1.   Who is recommended to get breast conservation surgery?

Breast conservation surgery is usually recommended for people with:

•       Early-stage cancers (stage 1 and 2)
•       Cancer located in a single place. Usually, the breast is divided into four quadrants, and if the tumor is located in a single quadrant, breast conservation surgery would be recommended.
•       Other than this, the size of cancer in tandem with the size of the breast is also evaluated.

2.     Should the whole breast be removed after a patient is diagnosed with breast cancer?

This is one of the common misconceptions that people have. If diagnosed with breast cancer, it is not mandatory to remove the whole breast. And not doing so will not increase the chance of recurrence of cancer.

There is no difference between a person who has removed the whole breast and the person who treated only the lump in terms of survival rate and cancer recurrence.

3.     What are the benefits of breast-conserving surgery?

The only difference between the person who underwent breast conservation surgery and the person who removed the whole breast is the quality of life. Women who underwent breast conservation surgery have better confidence to return to their routine life and consequently a better quality of life. With time the woman who underwent surgery might even forget that she had surgery, but this might not be the case with the person who removed the breast as a whole.

Also Read: Breast Cancer: Early Signs, Diagnosis and Treatment

Kauvery Hospital

Cancer is not a taboo topic, and there have been a lot of innovations happening. It is time to get more people aware of these advanced treatments. In Kauvery Hospital, we have the best oncology doctors and oncoplastic surgeons who have years of experience in this type of surgery.

Best Oncologist in Chennai | Best Oncologist in Salem | Best Oncologist in Trichy | Best Oncologist in Hosur

Is swelling in the breasts a symptom of cancer?

While the incidence of breast cancer is low in India compared to many other countries, the figure seems to be increasing. This makes awareness about cancer and cancer treatment imperative among people. But not all lumps and swellings in the breast are cancer. Watch Dr. Vijayalakshmi Balakrishnan and Dr. Kriti Katherine Kabeer talk about abnormal lumps and swellings in the breasts.

   Occasional tenderness and pain in the breasts – Is it something to worry about?

• Pain in the breasts around the menstrual cycle period is very normal among women. The pain might occur in one breast or sometimes in both. Often you might also experience swelling of the breasts when the menstrual cycle is around the corner. The breasts might look engorged than usual, and the veins might look more prominent.
• Some women might get extra fat in the armpits, especially during pregnancy, which can also be painful during the menstrual cycle. You don’t have to panic since this is not something to be treated. Doctors usually advise the women to wear supportive bras.

Also Read: Raising Breast Cancer Awareness – Answers to questions you always wanted to ask

Is there any connection between the type of bras we wear and the incidence of breast cancer?

• No, there isn’t any connection between the type of bra you wear and the incidence of breast cancer. You can wear any bra if it supports your breasts correctly and without causing your pain.
• People sometimes complain of pain (non-cyclical) in the breasts, primarily because of the bras. Choose the ones that would provide proper support to the breasts.

     Watch the full video at 

Kauvery Hospital

Self-examination of the breasts regularly might help you be cautious and prepared at all times. Even if it is cancer, early cancer treatment can save you from a lot of stress, and this is possible only with regular breast examination and timely diagnosis.

Best Oncologist in Chennai | Best Oncologist in Salem | Best Oncologist in Trichy | Best Oncologist in Hosur

Breast cancer and reconstruction - Part 2

Breast reconstruction is a procedure by which, after mastectomy, the breast or breasts of the patients undergoing surgery is rebuilt. This can be done during or after mastectomy, but there is little awareness among the women and even the cancer patients. Even after years of undergoing cancer surgery, breast reconstruction can be done.

Before going into the details, know that early detection of cancer is very important, and thus we recommend everyone go with regular screenings. Search with options like "oncologist near me" and find the best to get your screenings or treatments done.

Our plastic surgery specialists answer some of the important questions about breast reconstruction surgery and how it can help cancer patients.

1.      What is oncoplastic breast surgery, and how is it done?

This is a type of surgery that combines both the techniques of plastic surgery and breast surgery. Using this procedure, you can provide better aesthetic results for the patient undergoing the mastectomy procedure. There are two types in this:

·         Volume displacement technique: After removing the tumour and some of the surrounding healthy tissues from the breast there will a cavity present. The breast shape is remodelled to look normal or similar to the other breast's symmetry using this breast reconstruction technique.

·         Volume replacement surgery: If it is a small breast or rearranging the tissues inside the breast is not possible, volume replacement surgery is done. In this technique, tissues from other body parts, like from the back, are removed and then filled in the breast cavity.

Planning is the most important part of oncoplastic breast surgery. The oncologist and oncoplastic surgeon discuss all the possible options with the patient and then decide on the method. There are custom-made flaps that can be done according to the type of tumour and the patient's breast size.

Also Read: The Difference between Plastic Surgery and Cosmetic Surgery

If you want to learn more about breast reconstruction techniques and how it can benefit the cancer patient, then watch the full video at https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=266845055140999

Kauvery Hospital

70% of women who undergo breast cancer surgery do not know that a breast reconstruction is an option. Also, there aren't many institutions with experienced oncoplastic surgeons who can carry out the technique perfectly.  In Kauvery Hospital, we offer premium treatments with the best oncoplastic surgeons and cancer specialists in Chennai.

Best Oncologist in Chennai | Best Oncologist in Salem | Best Oncologist in Trichy | Best Oncologist in Hosur

Breast cancer and reconstruction - Part 1

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. Breast cancer requires surgery, and this is where breast reconstruction comes in. Breast reconstruction can build back your breast or breasts after mastectomy. This can be done during or after the mastectomy procedure, but most women aren’t aware of this or do not have access to experienced professionals in the procedure.

Here are some common questions people have on breast cancer and breast reconstruction that our plastic surgery specialists answer for you.

1.      Why is it important to diagnose breast cancer early?

When cancer is detected early, the treatment can be done early, resulting in the patient with a better quality of life and survival outcomes. Screening mammograms are used to detect the cancers early, thus making the outcome better than when it is found at the last stages. Therefore, you must regularly screen for cancers. If you feel any lumps or symptoms, try searching “Oncologist near me” to get help immediately.

Other than this, when breast cancer is detected early, the tumour can be removed with breast-conserving surgery while preserving the rest of the breast. This procedure is usually followed with radiation therapy to treat the breast entirely locally.

Also Read: Life during and after Breast Cancer Treatment

2.      What are the options available in breast reconstruction during early breast cancer surgery?

In breast-conserving surgery, the tumour and some normal tissues around it are removed. After this, there is an option of refilling this cavity with our body tissues.

Oncoplastic breast surgery is a form of breast-conserving surgery that combines plastic surgery techniques and breast cancer surgery. This gives the patient a better aesthetic outcome and quality of life after the surgery without compromising the local control of cancer. There are two types in this called volume displacement techniques and volume replacement techniques.

To know more about breast cancer and reconstruction, watch our video at https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=266845055140999&ref=watch_permalink

Kauvery Hospital

Detecting breast cancers early can lead to the person getting faster treatment and returning to their normal lifestyle sooner. Breast cancers can be treated thoroughly, and breast reconstruction can ensure better aesthetic outcomes. Kauvery Hospital has some of the best cancer specialists in Chennai and experienced plastic surgeons who can carry out these procedures.

Best Oncologist in Chennai | Best Oncologist in Salem | Best Oncologist in Trichy | Best Oncologist in Hosur

Breast Cancer Awareness

How does breast cancer start ?

Most breast cancers begin in the inner lining cells of the ducts that carry milk to the nipple (ductal cancers) or Sometimes start in the glands that make breast milk (lobular cancer).

How does breast cancer spread ? 

From a single cancer cell it multiplies and grows bigger and becomes palpable. Once the tumor grows larger it can directly affect the skin over the breast and nipple or invade the chest wall , it can spread along the lymphatics into axillary nodes or through blood into other organs like lungs , bone , liver and brain at a later stages .

What are the causes of breast cancer ? 

Some of the reasons for developing breast cancer are Early menarche, late menopause, Nulliparity, Not breast feeding, age at first child birth after 35 years, up to 10% cancers are hereditary. Most often it is multifactorial than singe risk factor. Up to 50% patients with breast cancer will not have any of these risk factors in which case it is unknown.

What are the symptoms of breast cancer ?

What is self breast examination ? 

Self breast examination should be practiced by all women above 20 years of age every month one week after the completion of menstrual cycle. It makes that particular women know her breast well and helps to identify ant changes in the breast like any lumps or skin changes so that it is addressed at a very early stage.

What is breast conservation surgery ? 

Few decades earlier for any breast cancer during surgery removing the entire breast was the standard treatment offered. At present because of advancement in treatment only the tumor can be removed preserving the breast in most patients with early cancers. 

Common myths about breast cancer 

Breast cancer is always painful and painless breast lumps are not breast cancer.

No breast cancer at early stages will not produce any pain , only in advanced stages will produce pain. 

Breast cancer occurs only in people whose family member has /had cancer or has any risk factors.

No , only 10% breast cancer is hereditary and only 50% of patients with breast cancer will have a identifiable cause and for the others the cause is not known.

Cancer aggravates on doing a biopsy or on surgical removal 

No , biopsy must be done in all tumors unless not possible before starting the treatment to confirm the diagnosis. Surgery still remains the main modality and most effective modality for treating most solid tumors and can be done safely and when combined with chemotherapy and radiation therapy gives the best outcome at present.