Breast Cancer in India: Tackling myths, causes, symptoms, and innovations in treatment

Breast cancer awareness – The need of the hour
Although breast cancer has become extremely common in recent days, there is a lack of awareness about the condition and several myths are rampant about the condition.

• Addressing the myths

- Breast cancer affects only women

- Any lump in the breast is a cancer lump

- All breast cancers need chemotherapy or complete breast removal

Causes

• Genetic susceptibility

• Factors affecting endogenous hormones

• Exogenous hormone intake

• Lifestyle patterns

• Mammographic findings

Symptoms

• From a medical perspective, what are the common and less common symptoms associated with breast cancer?

• Is it possible for breast cancer to be present without noticeable symptoms?

• Can you speak about the relationship between breast density and the risk or symptoms of breast cancer?

• How can individuals be more proactive about understanding and observing potential symptoms?

Risk Assessment and Diagnosis - Conventional and New Advances

Conventional

• Regular breast self-examination.

• Clinical breast examinations

• Screening and mammograms

• Management of hormone therapy (women who have undergone hormone therapy)

• Lifestyle modification

• Awareness is the key

New Advances

• Personalised early detection – Looking beyond mammograms

• Genetic and genomic testing

• NGS testing

• Risk reducing medications and surgery

Treatment and Prognosis

• Newer advances in breast cancer treatment - Precision medicine or precision treatment in oncology, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy

• Treatment approaches for different subtypes of breast cancer and their prognosis

• Benefits of a multi-disciplinary approach in treating breast cancer

• Measures to reduce the risk of the side effects of breast cancer treatment

• Specific lifestyle modification to prevent breast cancer or to be followed during and after breast cancer treatment to avoid recurrence

• The future of cancer treatment

-By Dr. Rahul S Kanaka, Consultant- Surgical Oncology, Manipal Hospital, Yeshwanthpur, Sarjapur and Hebbal