Best breast oncologist in Delhi NCR

There are multiple types of breast cancer. They’re broken into two major categories, namely “invasive” and “noninvasive” breast cancer. Noninvasive breast cancer is also called “in situ” breast cancer.

Invasive breast cancer occurs when the cancer has spread from the ducts of the breast or glands to other parts of the breast. Noninvasive breast cancer, however, occurs when the cancer has not spread from the original tissue. 

These 2 categories are utilized to describe the most common types of breast cancer. The types are: 

• Ductal carcinoma in situ.
  DCIS or Ductal carcinoma in situ is a non-invasive type of breast cancer. With it, the cancer cells are restricted only to the breast ducts & have not invaded the surrounding breast tissue.

• Lobular carcinoma in situ
  LCIS or Lobular carcinoma in situ is a type of breast cancer that grows in the milk-producing glands of the breast. In this, the cancer has not spread to surrounding tissue.

• Invasive ductal carcinoma
  Invasive ductal carcinoma, abbreviated as IDC, is the most common type of breast cancer. It begins in the ducts of breast milk, eventually invading nearby tissue in the breast. The moment it has spread beyond the milk ducts, it may start spreading to other nearby organs & tissue.

• Invasive lobular carcinoma
  Invasive lobular carcinoma, abbreviated as ILC, makes for a small percentage of breast cancers. It begins developing in the breast’s lobules and eventually invades nearby tissue. It is a slow-growing form of cancer.

Some types of less common cancer:

• Paget disease of the nipple
  It begins in the nipple ducts. However, as it grows, it starts to affect both the skin & the areola of the nipple.

• Phyllodes tumor
  This type of breast cancer is extremely rare. It grows in the breast’s connective tissue. While these tumors are mostly benign, some of them can be cancerous.

• Angiosarcoma
  This is a very rare type of Angiosarcoma. It develops in the inner lining of both blood vessels as well as lymph nodes of the breast.

Now, into some of the other categories:

• Inflammatory breast cancer
  Inflammatory breast cancer, abbreviated as IBC, is a very rare form of breast cancer, making up between 1-5% of all breast cancers. It is an aggressive type of cancer. In this, the cells block lymph nodes near the breasts. Therefore, the lymph vessels cannot drain properly. Rather than creating a tumor, IBC causes the breast to swell, look red, and feel quite warm. It causes a cancerous breast to appear pitted & thick like an orange peel. While not always, it can be very aggressive & progress very fast. So, if you see such symptoms, contact a breast cancer specialist in Delhi NCR or your area immediately. 

• Metastatic Breast Cancer
  Metastatic breast cancer, also called stage 4 breast cancer, is when the breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body, like lungs, liver, bones, brain, etc. It is an advanced stage of breast cancer. Sometimes cells that have broken away from the original breast tumor/s can travel to other body parts through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. If you or your loved one has been recently diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, consult an expert oncologist immediately to create a topline plan for cancer treatment in Delhi NCR or other regions with the goal of stopping the growth and spread of tumors. 

• Triple-negative breast cancer
  Triple-negative breast cancer is a rare form of breast cancer affecting 10-15% of breast cancer patients. To be recognized as triple-negative breast cancer, the tumor must have 3 of the following features:
  • It lacks estrogen receptors
    Estrogen receptors are on cells that bind or attach to estrogen. If a tumor has estrogen receptors, the hormone estrogen can stimulate cancer proliferation.
  • It lacks progesterone receptors
    Progesterone receptors are cells binding to progesterone, an important reproductive hormone. If a tumor has progesterone receptors, the hormone progesterone can proliferate cancer growth.
  • It doesn’t have additional HER2 proteins on its surface
    HER2 protein fuels breast cancer cells to grow. So, if the breast cancer tumor doesn’t have HER2 proteins then it may fall under triple-negative breast cancer.

• Breast lump or thickening in the breast that feels different from the surrounding tissue
• Change in the breast size, shape, or appearance
• Changes to the skin over the breast, such as dimpling
• A newly inverted nipple
• Peeling, scaling, crusting, or flaking of the pigmented area of skin surrounding the nipple (areola) or breast skin
• Redness or pitting of the skin over your breast, like the skin of an orange

While the cause of breast cancer is unknown, there are several risk factors. 

Risk factors that CAN be changed

• Age: Breast cancer risk increases with age, with most breast cancer cases being diagnosed after age 50.

• Genetic mutations: Certain genetic mutations in specific genes like the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes put women at higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

• Reproductive history: Menstrual periods before 12 years of age and menopause after 55 years of age expose women to certain hormones longer. This raises th risk of getting breast cancer.

• Dense breasts: As dense breasts have more connective tissue than fatty tissue, it can be sometimes hard to see tumors on a mammogram. So, women with dense breasts are more likely to get breast cancer.

• Personal history of breast cancer: Women with previous breast cancer history are more at risk of getting breast cancer again. 

• Certain non-cancerous breast diseases: Certain non-cancerous breast diseases like atypical hyperplasia or lobular carcinoma in situ may also increase the risk. 

• Breast & ovarian cancer family history: Breast cancer risk is higher if a woman has a mother, sister, or daughter (first-degree relative) or multiple family members on any side of the family who has had breast or ovarian cancer.

• Previous radiation therapy treatment: People who’ve had radiation therapy to the chest or breasts for any reason before age 30 have a higher risk of getting breast cancer later in life.

• Taking the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES): Women who’ve taken the drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) while pregnant during 1940-1971 to prevent miscarriage are at a higher risk. 

Risk factors that CANNOT be changed

• Physical inactivity: Women who are leading sedentary lifestyles and are not physically active are at a higher risk of developing breast cancer. 
• Obesity or post-menopause obesity: Overweight women and older menopausal women who are overweight are at a higher risk of getting breast cancer.
• Hormones Intake: Certain hormone replacement therapies, including both estrogen and progesterone, taken during menopause can raise breast cancer risk when taken for more than 5 years. Some contraceptives also do the same. 

• History of reproduction: A first pregnancy post 30 years of age, no breastfeeding, & never carrying a full-term pregnancy can raise breast cancer risk. 

Drinking alcohol: According to recent studies, a woman’s risk for breast cancer increases with the more alcohol she drinks.

Currently, there are several breast cancer treatment options in India and the world. From surgery to chemotherapy to targeted therapy and immunotherapy in cancer patients, treatment has evolved a lot in the last decade. The overall 5-year relative survival rate of breast cancer is 90%. 

• Surgery

The most common treatment for breast cancer is surgery. However, many breast cancer patients require additional treatments, like chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation, or hormone therapy. 

Different types of surgeries are used for treating breast cancer. A lumpectomy removes the tumor & some surrounding tissue, mastectomy removes an entire breast, sentinel node biopsy removes some lymph nodes receiving drainage from the tumor to test them for cancer, axillary lymph node dissection removes additional lymph nodes after sentinel node biopsy, and contralateral prophylactic mastectomy is chosen by some patients to remove healthy breast to reduce the risk of breast cancer. 

• Radiation Therapy

Radiation therapy uses high-powered beams to target and kill cancer cells. The most-used radiation treatment uses external beam radiation in which the machine is outside the body. However, due to modern advancements, irradiating inside the body has also become possible for certain breast cancer patients. This is called brachytherapy, and in it, the doctors place radioactive seeds/pellets inside the body (near the tumor). The seeds are kept there for some time & they destroy cancer cells. 

• Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses chemicals in drug form to kill/destroy fast-growing cells, including cancer cells. Sometimes it is used on its own, while other times, it is used with other treatments, like surgery or targeted therapy. For some patients, doctors administer chemotherapy before surgery, hoping to shrink the tumor so the surgery isn’t as invasive. For others, it is used after surgery to ensure all cancer cells have been killed. The therapy has multiple unwanted side effects, so consulting with a reputed doctor like Dr. P.K.Das, one of the leading breast cancer doctors in Delhi NCR, can be highly beneficial before making a decision. 

• Hormone Therapy

If the type of breast cancer diagnosed is hormone-sensitive, then the doctor may suggest hormone therapy. Estrogen and progesterone, the two primary female reproductive hormones, can stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells. Hormone therapy helps block the body’s production of these hormones. This is done by blocking the hormone receptors on cancer cells. This process helps slow or kill the growth of cancer. 

If you need a consult, the best treatment options, support, and assistance for breast cancer, you can connect with Dr. P.K.Das, the best breast oncologist in Delhi NCR.

For women younger than 45 years, the survival rate is 88%; for ages 45-54, it is 91%; for ages 55-64, it is 91%; for ages 65-74, it is 92%; for ages 75+ years, it is 86%.

Women are more likely to get breast cancer compared to men. 50+ years women are most likely to get breast cancer. Breast cancer in men is extremely rare.

While nothing can guarantee your safety from breast cancer, certain practices like drinking less alcohol, exercising, breastfeeding, careful hormone therapy, etc., can decrease the risk of breast cancer.

Mammograms require pressure to be applied to the soft tissues for better image quality and better detection. So, it can cause seconds of discomfort.

Pain due to breast cancer is very rare. Most pains are caused due to mastalgia/mastodynia pre or post-menstruation.