Know these breast cancer surgery essentials for high-risk patients
Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among women, with 90,000 deaths per annum in India alone (According to statistics shared by The Hindu). Cancer is so pervasive in the fabric of Indian society that a woman loses her life to breast cancer every eight minutes in the country, and for every two women diagnosed with breast cancer, one dies of the condition. However, there is no other way out from the condition but through breast cancer surgery in Kolkata.
What you should know about breast cancer surgery for high-risk patients
For high-risk patients, surgery is often recommended as part of the treatment plan. If you are a high-risk patient or have been diagnosed with breast cancer, it is important to consult with a surgical oncologist who specialises in breast cancer surgery.
What are the different types of surgeries available for breast cancer?
The main types of surgeries available for breast cancer are full-breast removal surgery or mastectomy, breast-conserving surgery, lymph node dissection and reconstructive breast surgery. Depending on the severity of your conditions and your personalised choices, the surgical oncologist will decide for you what surgery for breast cancer suits you the best.
In general, mastectomy is the most effective in treating both early and late-stage of breast cancer. Often mastectomy is followed by a breast reconstruction surgery. There are different kinds of breast reconstruction surgery depending on the personalised needs of the patients. It could be implant-based reconstruction or autologous reconstruction that utilises the tissue from the patient’s own body.
Often, for high-risk patients, such as those with a genetic predisposition, prophylactic mastectomy may be recommended. This is a preventive surgery that involves removing one or both breasts to curtail the risk of developing breast cancer.
What are the advantages of breast cancer surgery?
The core advantage of breast cancer surgery is: it permanently excises the malignancy, and therefore it cuts down any possibility of future recurrence of cancer.
How long does it take to recover from breast cancer surgery?
You will feel soreness and pain in your chest. Moreover, you will be left with reduced flexibility around your chest and arms for a few weeks after the surgery.
You will be prescribed painkillers and recommended some arm and shoulder exercises to perform on a daily basis. These exercises are crucial to combat the approach of stiffness. You may as well feel fatigued and should listen to your body in this regard, taking ample rest whenever possible. Generally, most people can get back to their normal activities within about a month after surgery for breast cancer.
What happens to expect after breast cancer surgery?
When you are recovering from the surgery, the surgical oncologist will probe further into the lymph node biopsy results to ascertain that they have removed every last bit of cancer cells from your body. Depending on your biopsy, you might need additional follow-up care or another surgery.
Being a high-risk breast cancer patient, it is important that you put yourself under the guidance of a surgical oncologist and follow their suggestions.
