Breast Cancer Surgery in India — A Life Imposed
Breast Cancer Surgery
It is said that breast cancer is one of the most dangerous and deadly diseases to ever inhabit the planet. The way cancer dismantles the lives of the affected, both mentally and physically, and also of those that are involved in the lives of the stricken person is considered cruel and disheartening. The people who are affected by breast cancer sometimes find it when it’s in the late stages and by then it’s already too late for even the most expert of doctors to do anything about it but to delay the inevitable approaching mortal end.
The emergence of cancer is connected to cell mutation the process of which occurs in multiple stages with the final stage converting a benign lesion to a cancerous tumor. Cancers are usually caused by carcinogens which inhibit the growth of malignancy in the tumor. There are 3 types of carcinogens affecting cancer — biological (bacteria, parasites, etc.), chemical (asbestos, arsenic, tobacco) & physical (radiation e.g. ultraviolet).
Breast Cancer — According to the World Health Organization (WHO)
According to recent reports from the World Health Organization (WHO), Cancer is the second most leading cause of death in the world with almost 17% of deaths occurring globally being caused by some form of cancer. Breast cancer, in particular, caused more than 2 million deaths out of 9.6 million deaths in the year 2018. It is considered the most common cancer among women in both the developing and the developed nations.
The mortality rate for people suffering from breast cancer is low in the developed nations in contrast to the developing nations, especially the ones that are considered low-income due to the presence of advanced cancer detection facilities in the developed nations and lack thereof in the developing nations.
Treatment for Breast Cancer
The treatment for breast cancer might be carried out depending on the type and/or the area inflicted by cancer. If the cancer is contained in only a small region in the breast, breast cancer surgery might be performed to remove cancer inflicted region. A small amount of surrounding tissue will also be taken out to check for the spread of cancer cells. If the cancer cells have nearly spread throughout one of the breasts, then partial mastectomy might be performed to remove the infected breast. A full mastectomy is performed when most of the breast is under the extent of the cancerous cells where both the breasts are removed along with the cancer-causing cells.
A full mastectomy is a little polished and advanced since the removal of the muscles in the chest region along with the breast is not the general approach anymore as it used to be. Usually, the patient who has undergone partial mastectomy or full mastectomy has to also take radiation therapy to kill the leftover cancerous cells.
Divergent approaches might also be taken in rare cases where the ovary is removed to stop the production of the estrogen hormone making it harder for the cancer cells to grow. Another uncommon method is the use of cryotherapy where the use of extreme cold freezes and eventually kills the cancerous cells. This method though is considered experimental, hence making it extremely rare for any doctor to employ as a perpetual method for tackling breast cancer.
Risks involved in Breast Cancer Surgery
The surgery for breast cancer is usually considered to be safe but however, there exists a chance for complications in this procedure as does with every other surgery. These risks are mentioned below
· Swelling around the operated area and/or the arm
· Pain
· Problems related to the healing of wounds
· Spreading/Developing infections
· Bleeding
· General anesthetic risks such as allergic reaction, cardio-vascular complications, etc.
· Loss of sensation in the chest region
· Fluid deposit around the operated area
· Scars
