Breast Cancer Treatment Cost in India

What is Breast Cancer Treatment?

Breast cancer is the most leading and life threatening cancer originating in breast tissue that affects most women worldwide. It is the principal cause of mortality in women across the world. Breast cancer in its early stage is very difficult to diagnose as it does not cause any symptoms and usually the pain and discomfort in the breast is absent. Any of the following changes in the breast may indicate the risk of presence of breast cancer:

• Changes in the skin over the breast or skin dimpling
• Change in size and shape of the breast
• Lump in the breast or axilla
• Nipple abnormalities like nipple inversion and skin changes
• Blood stained single duct discharge

Breast cancer like other cancers can spread and invade the adjacent breast and it also has a tendency to spread and grow in other different parts of the body through metastasis. Breast cancer is considered as the second leading cause of death in women in their 30s and 50s.

What are the Stages of Breast Cancer?

Stage 0: The disease is localized to milk ducts.

Stage 1: Cancer is less than 2 inches in size and is not spread anywhere with no involvement of lymph nodes

Stage 2: Cancer is:

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Breast Cancer Treatment Options

The treatment for breast cancer is usually recommended after analyzing some key factors like the size and site of tumor, the extent to which it is spread, lab investigation results, stage of the breast cancer and the generalized health and age of the patient.

Treatment options for breast cancer includes:

• Surgical intervention: Breast cancer can be treated by surgery using two approaches depending on the extent and stage of cancer.
  • Breast conserving surgery: The main goal of breast conserving surgery is to save as much breast tissue as possible by removing only the part of the tissue containing cancer. Women might need radiation therapy or chemotherapy after this surgery. This surgery includes :
    • Partial mastectomy
    • Lumpectomy/ quadrantectomy
  • Breast removal surgery: Breast removal surgery aims at removing the entire breast, and is medically called mastectomy. Breast removal is often followed by the reconstruction surgery to restore the normal appearance of the breast. However, reconstruction surgery is subjective. Mastectomy can be performed using following methods;
    • Simple mastectomy: entire breast is removed sparing the axillary lymph nodes and tissue/ muscle underneath the breast. It is the most common type of surgery used to treat breast cancer.
    • Skin sparing mastectomy: skin sparing mastectomy is done in females who choose to get reconstruction surgery after mastectomy. In this procedure, the breast tissue is removed keeping the skin over the breast and the nipples intact.
    • Radical mastectomy: this is an extensive procedure characterized by removal of the entire breast with the axillary lymph nodes and pectoral muscle of the chest present under the breast.
    • Modified radical mastectomy: this is less extensive commonly performed surgery in which the breast is removed along with the axillary lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are removed using :
      • Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in which around 10-20 lymph nodes are removed from the axilla and are checked for cancer spread.
      • Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) only removes the first few lymph nodes up to which the cancer is most likely spread.

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How is Breast Cancer Treatment done?

Lumpectomy (also called breast conserving surgery, partial mastectomy or wide excision):

Mastectomy or Breast Removal Surgery:

What is the Recovery after Breast Cancer Treatment like?

After the surgery, the patient is shifted to the recovery room where she will be under observation until awake. 1-2 days of hospitalization is required after the surgery. However, less extensive surgeries like breast conserving surgery needs a short stay.

There might be some pain and pinching sensation in the axillary region which will go off gradually. The patient is given instructions on self-care from the health care team.

One can resume daily activities within a period of 2 weeks after breast conservation surgery. However, following total mastectomy, complete recovery takes around 4 weeks. Recovery time is further extended if the patient chooses reconstruction surgery as well.

Most women feel the skin of the chest or axilla a little tight and stiff for some time, but these things improve as the time passes.

What Results Can I Expect from Breast Cancer Treatment?

The results of breast cancer surgery depend upon the stage of the disease. If detected early, breast cancer can be completely treated and one can lead a normal life after breast cancer treatment.