Everything You Need to Know about Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the collection of cancer cells in your breast tissue. Breast cancer can begin in the ducts or lobules of the breast. They grow slowly and form a lump on your breast. It is mainly found in women and at times in men also. The cancer cells slowly spread to other parts of our body through the bloodstreams and contaminate them. If left untreated, it can surely be fatal. Luckily for us, the cancer treatment in India has seen huge advancement in the last few years and deaths related to breast cancer have fallen drastically.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer :-

Knowing the different symptoms of any disease is always useful. To treat something you have to first recognize it. Although, breast cancer on early stages do not show any symptoms, but you can look for the following leads :-

Green, yellow or bloody fluid coming out of your nipple may be a sign that you have breast cancer.
A formation of an uneven and edgy lump in the armpits or on the breasts can be a sign of breast cancer.
 Any change in the size or shape of the breasts or nipples can be a symptom of breast cancer.

Advanced Breast Cancer symptoms

• Weight Loss.
• Discomfort or pain in the breasts.
• Bone Pain.
• Ulcers on the skin.
• Welling in the armpit.

Carcinoma :-

The most common types of breast cancer found are Carcinomas. They start in cells that make up the skin or the tissue lining organs. Just like any other type of cancer they slowly divide and spread through your entire body, but that is not the case always. There are commonly two types of Carcinomas found :-

Ductal Carcinoma In Situ:

In this type of cancer, the cancer cells are found inside the ducts of the breast. But fortunately, they are not fully developed and cannot spread in the rest of our body. Nearly, all women suffering from this cancer are diagnosed successfully.

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma:

This type of cancer starts in a milk duct but unlike Ductal Carcinoma In Situ, they can spread to the nearby tissues. If proper measures are not taken within time, it can spread in your entire body through the lymph system and the bloodstream. This type of cancer can prove to be fatal in a lot of cases.

The treatment options :-

• Surgery: Depending on the type of cancer, the tumor from your body may be surgically removed to prevent any further damage or spreading of the cancer cells.
• Radiation: Radiation therapy for breast cancer is done to cure it, prevent it from returning, and to slow or stop its growth. It is used when cancer affects a particular area only.
• Chemotherapy: It is the medication therapy that is used to kill the cancer cells when they spread in the entire body. These medications are inserted into the body through bloodstream either orally or by some intravenous injection.   

Preparatory Steps for A Bypass Heart Surgery

A bypass heart surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass surgery, is carried out to create new pathway for smooth flow of blood in heart. It is done so by diverting the flow of blood blocked in a damaged artery. The idea of having a bypass surgery can be dreadful. Although it is natural to feel scared, gaining knowledge about the procedure, your heart’s condition, the recovery period and aftercare can help a lot. Preparing yourself both mentally and physically is essential before a heart bypass surgery to alleviate the fears.   

Preparatory steps for a bypass heart surgery are as follows:-      
  
1. Say good bye to smoking

Smoking causes heart diseases. It can not only increase the risk of developing a chest infection but deadly blood clots too. Continued smoking after a bypass surgery can cause harm to the new bypass. Hence, the very reason for having a bypass surgery loses importance. Quit smoking as soon as possible to avoid health consequences related to smoking. Make it a point to inform your doctor about your smoking habit. Your heart health is not going to improve if you are not able to get rid of this bad habit.

2. Take care of your diet

It is rightly said that ‘you are what you eat’. Following a heart friendly diet including organic meats and fish can help a great deal. Cut out foods which are rich in sugar, salt and trans fats. Try to shed off those extra pounds in case you are overweight as this will help in lowering the blood pressure too , hence reducing the chances of complications during surgery.

3. Monitor your health

Getting your health monitored frequently before bypass surgery is essential. You will have a thorough examination of your body. Make sure to get all the suggested tests done well in advance. Red blood cell count, ECG, chest X rays, clotting tests are some of the important tests that you might have to undergo. Also, be financially ready to incur the cost. Bypass surgery cost in India will cost you more than 3 lakhs.

4. Exercise frequently

While heavy workouts and hours of running on tread mill might be difficult for you, light exercise is still recommended to improve your heart muscles. Follow an active lifestyle and shed a few pounds which will help avoid any complications and boost recovery. Exercise is essential to deal with the stress too as it releases endorphins.

Finally, focus on yourself without worrying too much about the complications. Think more about the positive effects. Having a bypass surgery done can help in avoiding heart attack treatment. Focus on how better your life is going to be post-surgery.