Cancer Health Care

28/01/2016

28/01/2016

Breast cancer, which has been seen predominantly in women above 50, is striking young women, even teenage girls. And doctors are divided on whether genetics or lifestyle is the primary culprit.
Recently, a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Coimbatore was diagnosed with breast cancer. Delhi's youngest patient was a 19-year-old. Oncologists say each hospital sees two or three such teenagers every year.
While teenage cases still remain a rarity, the cancer registry at Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Oncology and Research, Coimbatore TN shows the incidence of breast cancer in women below the age of 35 has gone up from 3% to 8% in ten years. The Indian Council of Medical Research registry in Delhi confirms the trend: Incidence in the age group 20-40 has gone up from 5% to 15% in 20 years.

Going by the records at Kovai Medical Centre, Coimbatore, every year after 35 seems to be a danger zone for women. "Almost 40% of our patients are below the age of 40. Women in this age group constituted 10% around seven years ago," says Dr Rupa Renganathan, consultant radiologist at the centre.

"There is a threefold increase in incidence among women aged 20-40," says Dr P K Julka who heads the Delhi chapter of the ICMR registry.
Though India lacks a population-based cancer registry, and the triggers of cancer remain largely unknown. Some oncologists believe lifestyle changes leading to hormonal changes. "One probable reason is obesity and people's BMI, which is higher than it used to be in the earlier generations," said Anand Narayan, oncologist at G Kuppusamy Naidu Memorial Hospital.

Dr Renganathan concurs. "Increase in dietary fat intake leads to hormonal changes like excess estrogen production which is known to increase the risk of breast cancer," she says. Dr Julka, however, is not convinced. "We cannot attribute it to only lifestyle and dietary habits. Anyway, early diagnosis is the key," he says.
Then there are older theories blaming late marriage and delayed pregnancy - beyond the age of 30 - which contributes to excess estrogen. "Late marriage, late pregnancy and having lesser number are associated with breast cancer," says Dr Renganathan. "This is because a breast matures or develops completely only after it lactation and breastfeeding. Breastfeeding reduces estrogen production. So, the earlier you breastfeed, your exposure to estrogen gets reduced by a year," she says.
Doctors say any woman below the age of 40 diagnosed with breast cancer should undergo genetic screening and counselling. "We have noticed that a majority of them have a cancer history in their family," says Dr Narayan. "A majority of them have some mutation of genes BRCA 1 or BRCA 2 which act as tumour suppressants. So when these genes are absent, the breast is more prone to tumour formation and cell alternation," explains Dr Guhan.

Dr Julka says this is all the more relevant in cases of patients below the age of 20. "In girls, below 20 years of age, genetic predisposition or familial history is main cause of breast cancer. Risk factors involving lifestyle, for example obesity and dietary habits, take longer to cause hormonal imbalance and disease," the doctor added.

Mutations of genes, which can be inherited from either of the parents, make men too susceptible to breast cancer.

28/01/2016

IMPORTANT MSG TO ALL..
PLZ PASS ON THIS MSG TO ALL UR FREINDS & RELATIVES..

Women who now notice new lumps in and around their breasts but hesitate to approach a doctor might now call 1800-2700-703. This is a toll free helpline number set up by Sri Ramakrishna Institute of Oncology and Research (SRIOR) to exclusively cater to queries related to breast cancer.

They say this number is targeted towards the millions of women living in rural pockets who hesitate to approach a male doctor with this problem or scared to even inform their families.

The toll free number, which can be rung up from any nook and corner of the country, will educate the caller about the various stages of breast cancer, risks of it, signs and symptoms, importance of early detection, diagnostic tests required to check the lumps, treatment options available, side-effects of chemotherapy, dietary tips and how breast cancer might be prevented.

"It also has a provision where they can leave a message for me with their email ids. I would be able to listen to all the messages and reply to them maybe once or twice a day," said director and chief oncologist at SRIOR, Dr P Guhan.

"We will be mainly directing them on how to do a more clinical examination at home, doctors and hospitals they can approach in their vicinity and doubts regarding treatment itself," he said.

"A lot of women in villages hesitate to allow a clinical examination of their breasts by a male doctor, who might be the only doctor in their village. So they might prefer listening to a recorded automatic voice that will guide them on their future course of action," he said.

The helpline will function in both English and Tamil, so as to cater to as many women in Tamil Nadu as possible.

07/10/2015

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/students-form-pink-ribbon-against-breast-cancer/article7732515.ece

More than 4,000 students from 12 engineering and arts and science colleges formed ‘Pink Ribbon’ as part of Dindigul Turns Pink, Breast Cancer Awareness Movement, on Tuesday morning.Holding pink placards, the girls assem

07/10/2015

http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/dont-lose-heart-survivors-tell-breast-cancer-patients/article7728521.ece

07/10/2015

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference" – Winston Churchill

07/10/2015

A Change In How The Breast Or Ni**le Feels

• Ni**le tenderness or a lump or thickening in or near the breast or underarm area
• A change in the skin texture or an enlargement of pores in the skin of the breast (some describe this as similar to an orange peel’s texture)
• A lump in the breast (It’s important to remember that all lumps should be investigated by a healthcare professional, but not all lumps are cancerous.)

A Change In The Breast Or Ni**le Appearance

• Any unexplained change in the size or shape of the breast
• Dimpling anywhere on the breast
• Unexplained swelling of the breast (especially if on one side only)
• Recent asymmetry of the breasts (Although it is common for women to have one breast that is slightly larger than the other, if the onset of asymmetry is recent, it should be checked.)
• Ni**le that is turned slightly inward or inverted
• Skin of the breast, ar**la, or ni**le that becomes scaly, red, or swollen or may have ridges or pitting resembling the skin of an orange

Any Ni**le Discharge—Particularly Clear Discharge Or Bloody Discharge

It is also important to note that a milky discharge that is present when a woman is not breastfeeding should be checked by her doctor, although it is not linked with breast cancer

07/10/2015

EARLY DETECTION

Symptoms & Signs

Early warning signs of breast cancer may involve the discovery of a new lump or a change in the breast tissue or skin.
Every person should know the symptoms and signs of breast cancer, and any time an abnormality is discovered, it should be investigated by a healthcare professional.
Most people who have breast cancer symptoms and signs will initially notice only one or two, and the presence of these symptoms and signs do not automatically mean that you have breast cancer.
By performing monthly breast self-exams, you will be able to more easily identify any changes in your breast. Be sure to talk to your healthcare professional if you notice anything unusual.

07/10/2015

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month,
which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same.