New Delhi | Mallika Mehzabeen: Did you know that in India, 1 out of 4 females is diagnosed with breast cancer every 4 minutes and 1 woman loses her life every 13 minutes. Breast cancer is defiantly one of the most harrowing chapters of one’s life which not only leaves a mark physically but mentally as well. Radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery, high dose of medications, and the fear of cancer can take a massive toll on a person’s mental life. Apart from that, accepting yourself and your body as new normal after surgery is the hardest part of the entire treatment.

What is breast cancer?

A human body consists of a large number of cells but when these cells start growing abnormally, they make things called, tumours, and cause damage to the body. The same goes with breast cancer, when the cells in the breast begin to grow out of control they usually form a tumour in the area, which can be seen on an x-ray or can be felt as a lump.

This life-threatening disease certainly depends on many factors, including age, obesity, use of alcohol, family history, radiation exposure, tobacco use and postmenopausal hormone therapy. However, it is important to be aware of any kind of changes that are taking place in your breast area whether that is the formation of a lump to a slight pain in the breast. To mark the courage of Breast Cancer survivors, every year, October is observed as the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many women across the globe fought breast cancer with courage, and one among them is Najma Khan.

Here is Najma Khan’s survival story:

“Back in 2012, while I was bathing, I felt a lump under my armpits. After which, I went to the doctor and she suggested getting a mammography done. So, I went to St. Stephen’s hospital and got my mammography test, in which I came to know that I have a 2.5 cm tumor in my breast”.

“Further, the doctors in St. Stephens suggested me to get an FNAC test, which revealed that I was ‘Duct carcinoma’ malignant positive. This was one of the most devastating moments of my life, and I felt really lost. It was hard to accept the fact that I had cancer and life will not be the same anymore”.

“Later, I went to Delhi State Cancer Institute for a second opinion, where doctors asked me to get a biopsy test, and it is where I came to know that I had 2nd stage cancer. I underwent treatment for 1 year, in which I had 11 chemotherapy sessions and 26 radiotherapies. I also had surgery which took me at least 3 months to recover.”

“As chemotherapy’s side effect, I lost all my hair. After this, the road towards recovery seemed extremely tough as I had to face criticism from people in society, which took a toll on my mental health.There was a point in my life when I was ready to give up everything, but then with the support of my family, I gathered my courage once again and fought against the disease like a warrior. And after 13 months of rigorous treatment, I defeated breast cancer. Now even after 9 years of that nightmare, with the blessing of the almighty, I am cancer-free.”

Some of the common symptoms of breast cancers are as follow:

*Formation of a lump in the breast or underarm area

*Thickening or swelling of part of the breast

*Any change in the size and shape of the breast

*Pain in any area of the breast

*Nipple turning inward

*Nipple or breast which has redness or flaky skin

*Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood

Apart from symptoms, another factor that plays the most essential role in fighting the deadly disease is its diagnosis. Breast cancer is a disease that will touch most of us in some way. However, one has the chance of long survival if breast cancer is detected at an early stage. An early diagnosis of the disease will help in saving a person’s life.

Some of the methods through which doctors diagnosis the deadly disease are:

*Self-breast examination

*Breast ultrasound

*Diagnostic mammogram

*Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

*Biopsy

After diagnosis, the third important stage, which comes up, is the treatment of the disease. The treatment of breast cancer depends on the kind of breast cancer and how far it has spread. The disease can be treated in several ways including:

*Surgery

*Chemotherapy

*Hormonal therapy

*Biological therapy

Posted By: Mallika Mehzabeen