Breast Cancer — symptoms, diagnosis & treatment.

Breast cancer begins when cells in the breast grow out of control, most often in the milk ducts or lobules. It is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women in India, and it increasingly affects women in their 30s and 40s. Men can develop breast cancer too, though it is rare.

Outcomes depend heavily on the stage at diagnosis. Cancers found while still small and confined to the breast have excellent cure rates, which is why awareness of symptoms and regular screening matter so much.

• A new lump or thickening in the breast or underarm
• Change in the size, shape or contour of the breast
• Dimpling, puckering or redness of the skin
• Nipple turning inward, or discharge (especially blood-stained)
• Persistent pain in one area of the breast

• Age over 40, and a family history of breast or ovarian cancer
• Inherited BRCA1 / BRCA2 gene changes
• Early first period, late menopause, first child after 30, or no children
• Obesity, alcohol and physical inactivity
• Long-term hormone replacement therapy

Diagnosis starts with a clinical breast examination, followed by mammography and/or ultrasound. A suspicious area is confirmed by a core-needle biopsy, and the tissue is tested for hormone receptors (ER/PR) and HER2 status — which decide the treatment plan. Staging scans (CT, bone scan or PET-CT) are done when needed.

Treatment is personalised to the subtype and stage. Surgery is usually combined with systemic therapy — chemotherapy, hormone (endocrine) therapy, HER2-targeted therapy or immunotherapy — and radiotherapy where indicated. At Shichim Oncocare, chemotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy are delivered as day-care infusions: you come in for your cycle and go home the same evening. Onco-nutrition and psycho-oncology support run alongside.