Breast Cancer Treatment in India

Best breast cancer treatment in India

In 2022 more than 2.7 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer and 705,000 deaths worldwide.
Breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer type in Women. Earlier, cervical cancer used to be the most prevalent cancer in women.
Moreover, the average age of women with breast cancer is reducing every year. Young females as early as in their thirties are now diagnosed with breast cancer.
However, with the advanced breast cancer treatment in India the survival rates of breast cancer patients are also increasing. Moreover, if you add breast reconstruction surgery along with breast cancer treatment, females can live the next phase of their life without even telling anybody about the event.

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What is Breast Cancer?

• It is cancer that starts in the breast.Cancer begins when cells start to grow out of control. The risk of developing breast cancer increases with age and weight gain.
• There are several types of breast cancer that depend on which cells in the breast turn into cancer.A Breast is made up of three parts: lobules, ducts, and connective tissue.
• The lobules are the glands that produce milk and ducts are the tubes that carry milk to the nipple.The connective tissue which comprises fibrous and fatty tissue encircles and holds everything together.
• Most breast cancers begin in the ducts or lobules.Breast cancer can spread out of the breast through blood vessels and lymph vessels.

Types of Breast Cancer:

Breast cancer is mainly divided into 2 types: invasive and non-invasive.Invasive cancer spreads from the breast ducts to other parts of the breast whereas non-invasive cancer has not spread from the original tissue.

Ductal Carcinoma In Situ:

It is a non-invasive condition where the cancer cells are confined to the ducts in your breast and haven’t invaded the surrounding tissue.

Lobular Carcinoma In Situ:

It is cancer that grows in the milk-producing glands of your breast. In this also, the cancer cells have not invaded the surrounding tissues.

Invasive Ductal Carcinoma:

It is the most widespread type of breast cancer.This type of breast cancer develops in your breast’s milk ducts and invades surrounding tissues in the breast.Once it spreads to surrounding tissues, it begins to spread to other organs and tissues.

Invasive Lobular Carcinoma:

It first develops in your breast’s lobules and has already invaded the surrounding tissues.

Stages of Breast Cancer:

There are four stages of breast cancer.The stages are classified according to the size of the tumor and whether the tumor has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body.

Stage 0 Breast Cancer:

The cells are limited to the ducts and have not spread to surrounding tissues.Stage 0 is also called Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS).

Stage 1 Breast Cancer:

Stage 1 A : At this stage, the tumor has not affected the lymph nodes or there are small groups of cancer cells in the lymph nodes. During this stage, the tumors measure up to 2 centimeters.
Stage 1B : Cancer is found in nearby lymph nodes and either there is no tumor in the breast or is smaller than 2cm.

Stage 2 Breast Cancer:

Stage 2 A: At this stage, the tumor is 2 centimeters and has started to spread to 1-3 lymph nodes or is 2-5 centimeters and has not spread to lymph nodes.
Stage 2 B: At this stage, the tumor is between 2-5 cm and has spread to 1-3 axillary lymph nodes or it is larger than 5cm and has not spread to any lymph nodes.

Stage 3 Breast Cancer:

Stage 3A: At this stage, the tumor is up to 5 cm, and it has spread to 1-3 axillary lymph nodes, or the tumor is larger than 5 cm and has spread to a few of the lymph nodes.

Stage 3B: A Tumor has conquered the chest wall or skin and may or may not have conquered up to nine lymph nodes.

Stage 3C: At this stage, cancer is found in 10 or more axillary lymph nodes.

Stage 4 Breast Cancer:

At this stage, cancer can have a tumor of any size. Cancer has spread to many organs that include bones, liver, lungs, or brain.

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Causes of Breast Cancer

The exact cause of breast cancer is unknown but there are some risk factors that you should know to prevent breast cancer.

Age: The risk factors of breast cancer increase with age with women over the age of 50.

Family history of Breast Cancer: Women who carry certain mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes have higher chances of developing breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or both. People take over these genes from their parents.

History of Breast Cancer: Women who had breast cancer in the past are more likely to have it again than those who have no history of the disease.

Dense Breast Tissue: Women with more dense breasts are likely to receive breast cancer.

Estrogen Exposure: Estrogen exposure could increase due to people having their periods earlier or entering menopause at a later age.

Bodyweight: Women who are overweight or develop obesity after menopause also have higher chances of developing breast cancer.

Consumption of Alcohol: Women who consume alcohol (moderate to high levels of a drinker) have a higher risk of breast cancer than those who do not (and light drinkers).

Hormonal Treatment: According to NCI, oral Contraceptives may slightly increase the risk of breast cancer.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

The first symptom of breast cancer typically appears with a thickened tissue in the breast or a lump in the breast or an armpit. Other symptoms include:

• Pain in the armpits
• Sunken nipple
• Scrambling of the skin on the breast or nipple
• Rash around the nipples
• Discharge from a nipple
• Inflammation of the skin of the breast
• Variation in the size or shape of the breastMost breast lumps are not cancerous; however, women should visit a doctor for an examination if they notice such lumps.

Diagnosis of Breast Cancer

The first symptom of breast cancer typically appears with a thickened tissue in the breast or a lump in the breast or an armpit. Other symptoms include:

Tests that can help to diagnose breast cancer include:

• Breast Exam: The doctor will examine your breast and lymph nodes in your armpit to feel any lumps or any abnormalities.
• Ultrasound: It uses sound waves to create a picture of the tissue deep in your breast. It helps doctors to distinguish between a solid mass, such as a tumor, and a benign cyst.
• Mammogram: It is an imaging test that can see below the surface of the breast. If your doctor suspects that you may have a tumor or suspicious spots, then they will request a mammogram.
• MRI: It is a type of scan that uses a magnet linked to a computer that provides detailed pictures of areas in the breast.
• Biopsy: In this test, tissue or fluid is removed from the suspicious area of the breast to test for cancer. There are different kinds of biopsies such as fine-needle aspiration, core biopsy, or open biopsy.

Best breast cancer treatment in India

The first step of breast cancer treatment is to determine the stage of the disease or the spread of cancer. Based on the stage, the tumor board decides the treatment plan for the patient.
Most of the time, breast cancer treatment in India is a multi-modality treatment that includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy etc. This multimodality breast cancer treatment ensures that the cancerous tissues are removed and also the probability of reoccurrence is reduced as far as possible.
Surgery is the most popular treatment for breast cancer. However, surgery needs to be complemented with other treatments such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiation, or hormone therapy.

Surgery for Breast Cancer treatment in India

There are different types of breast cancer surgery conducted by surgeons as part of breast cancer treatment in India.
Based on the stage of cancer, one of the below-mentioned surgeries may be recommended by the surgeon.

1. Lumpectomy:
This removes the tumor and surrounding tissues which are affected.

2. Mastectomy (breast removal surgery):
In this surgery, the entire breast is removed, and in a double mastectomy, both breasts are removed.

3. Breast conservation surgery:
BCS (breast-conserving surgery) removes cancer while preserving as much of the normal breast as possible. Some healthy tissue and lymph nodes are usually removed as well.
Depending on how much tissue is removed, breast-conserving surgery is referred to as a lumpectomy, quadrantectomy, partial mastectomy, or segmental mastectomy.

4. Sentinel Node Biopsy:
In this surgery, a few of the lymph nodes that receive drainage from the tumor are removed and tested for cancer.

5. Axillary Lymph Node Dissection:
If the lymph nodes removed during sentinel node biopsy contain cancer cells, then your doctor will remove a few more lymph nodes for testing.

6. Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy:
In this surgery, even though cancer is present in one of the breasts, people tend to remove the healthier breast to reduce the risk of developing breast cancer again.

7. Breast reconstruction surgery:
Many women having breast cancer surgery have the option to reconstruct their breasts.
Breast reconstruction usually falls into two categories: Implant reconstruction and Flap reconstruction.
In Implant reconstruction, breast implants are done to form a new breast mound whereas, in flap reconstruction, a patient’s own tissue from another part of the body is used to form a new breast.

8. Oncoplastic Surgery:
Most women who have a lumpectomy or breast conservation surgery might end up with breast deformity as a result of the surgery hence oncoplastic surgery is done either at the time of the initial surgery or after the completion of treatment.

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Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer treatment in India

Chemotherapy is a breast cancer treatment in India wherein the medical oncologist attempts to kill the cancerous tissues through medicines.The medicines are typically given through injections or IV.
Chemotherapy, at times, is also given to patients after the surgery to ensure that all the cancerous cells are killed even in nearby areas of the tumor which is surgically removed.
Sometimes doctors might choose to administer chemotherapy prior to surgery to shrink the tumor and remove it easily.

Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer treatment in India

In breast cancer treatment in India, radiotherapy (high-powered radiation) is used mostly after the surgery to target and kill any remaining cancer cells that might be left after the surgery is done.

Targeted Therapy for Breast Cancer treatment in India

Targeted therapy uses drugs to target specific genes and proteins that lead to the growth of cancer cells.This treatment can affect the tissue environment that enhances the growth and survival of cells that are related to cancer growth like blood vessel cells.

Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer treatment in India

If your breast cancer is sensitive to hormones, then this treatment is carried out by doctors. This therapy works by blocking your body’s production of hormones (Estrogen and Progesterone). This treatment is carried out to prevent hormone-sensitive breast cancers from returning after treatment.

Which is the best country for breast cancer treatment?

When searching for the best country for breast cancer treatment USA, UK, Germany, France, and India are among the top.
The cost of surgery and treatment is very high in developed countries whereas the cost of treatment in India is nearly half without compromising the outcome.
The Indian healthcare system has well-trained doctors, as well as specialized and well-trained operative and post-operative care teams capable of handling complex cases at a reasonable cost.

Survival rate of breast cancer in India

The survival rate depends on the different stages of cancer in women.
The 5-year survival rate for local breast cancer (Stage IA, Stage IIA & Stage IIB) is 99%.
The 5-year survival rate for regional breast cancer (Stage IB, Stage IIA, Stage IIB and all Stage III) is 86%.
The 5-year survival rate for distant breast cancer (stage 4) is very low.

Breast Cancer treatment cost in India

The cost of undergoing breast cancer treatment in India is relatively much less compared to the US, UK, or Thailand.The affordability in cost comes with technological advancement and superior comprehensive surgical care which is at par with the international standards.
A medical evaluation is done to determine the site, size, and spread of cancer. The cost of cancer evaluation starts from 500 USD .
Based on the evaluation, the onco-surgeon will be able to comment on the patient’s treatment plan.The cost of breast cancer treatment in India starts from 2200 USD.
The onco-surgeon would suggest either simple, radical, or modified radical mastectomy based on the spread of the cancer cells. For a complete cure, the surgeon may also suggest chemotherapy and radiation therapy along with surgery based on the patient’s condition. The cost of chemotherapy for breast cancer ranges from 500 to 1000 USD / cycle.
However, the cost depends upon multiple factors including stage, treatment, protocol, age, and associated comorbidities. You should treat this cost as an indicative cost.
To know, what would be the breast cancer treatment cost in India in your case, you may like to get in touch with us and we can advise you on the tentative cost and treatment plan.

Best doctors for breast cancer treatment in India

India has a massive pool of the best doctors for breast cancer treatment who are proficient and well-researched in delivering the best treatments to our patients. Here is a list of the best doctors for breast cancer treatment in India.

Best Breast Cancer Hospital in India

The top hospitals in India are equipped with cutting-edge technology and the latest innovation to provide the best cancer care. Here is a list of the best breast cancer hospitals in India which provide the best cancer treatment and surgery:

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Q: How long does breast cancer treatment take in India?
A: If you have early-stage breast cancer, you’ll typically have chemotherapy treatments for three to six months, but your doctor will vary the duration based on your specific circumstances. Treatment for advanced breast cancer may last longer than six months.

Q: How many weeks of chemo do women get for breast cancer?
A: Chemotherapy cycles are usually 2 or 3 weeks long. Depending on the medications utilized, the timetable changes. Chemotherapy, for example, is only given on the first day of the cycle with some medications. Others may receive it once a week for a few weeks or once every other week.

Q: Can breast cancer be cured completely?
A: Breast cancer does not have a “natural” cure. To eliminate, reduce, or slow the growth of tumors, medical therapies are required. However, you can utilize alternative therapies and lifestyle changes in addition to regular medical treatments to help control breast cancer symptoms.

Q: How soon after a breast cancer diagnosis is a surgery?
A: Overall, the duration between diagnosis and operation is fewer than 90 days. Breast cancer is commonly treated with three surgical procedures: lumpectomy, mastectomy, and lymph node removal.

Q: Can breast cancer spread while waiting for surgery?
A: However, it is unclear if these short-term delays will allow a woman’s tumor to develop. Researchers found no evidence that a “modest” delay before surgery allowed breast cancer time to develop and spread in 818 patients treated at their clinic in the current study.

Q: What’s the best approach to reduce Breast Cancer?
A: But, it’s much easier in the event of breast cancer because the indicators are evident. Women having a family history of breast cancer that has passed age 40 or who are experiencing similar symptoms should have mammograms at least in a period of 2 decades. Early disclosure is the trick to operative therapy. Women should realize that discovery of cancer in the early phases has a 100% success rate. Click the link to Learn More about breast cancer therapy in India.

Q: Can I want to keep a special diet following breast cancer therapy?
A: Breast cancer operation is a significant surgical procedure and therefore dietary restraints are there. On the other hand, the specific diet may only be prescribed with your dietician at the time of your release.

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Medanta The Medicity Hospital

Number of beds:  1250
ICU Beds:                300
Airport Distance: 18 KMs

Brief About:

• Medanta – The Medicity is amongst India’s largest and most renowned multi-super speciality healthcare centre with 1250 beds, 29 super speciality units and more than 800 accomplished doctors.
• Supported by state-of-art infrastructure, all the departments in the hospital are fully equipped with cutting-edge technology, modular Operation Theatre and modernized monitoring systems in ICUs.
• The panel of doctors from Medanta, headed by A.S.Soin performed the first successful intestinal transplant in India.

Max Hospital Saket

Number of beds:   500
ICU Beds:                 267
Airport Distance: 13 KM

Brief About:

• Max Super Speciality Hospital at Saket is one of the topmost healthcare service
• Providers in India. The multi-super speciality hospital has a capacity of over 500 beds, 250 functional beds. It is equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, advanced technologies.
• With the help of over 300 leading specialist Doctors, strong nursing staff, and state-of-the-art innovative medical tools.

BLK-Max Hospital

Number of beds: 700
ICU Beds:               175
Airport Distance: 13 Km

Brief About:

• BLK Super Speciality Hospital was established by Dr. B.L. Kapur  in 1959. It was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru.
  
• BLK Super Speciality Hospital was established by Dr. B.L. Kapur  in 1959. It was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru.
• BLK has a unique combination of the best in class technology, put to use by the best names in the professional circles to ensure world-class health care to all patients.

Artemis Hospital Gurgaon

Number of beds:  600
ICU Beds:                185
Airport Distance: 19 Km

Brief About:

• Artemis Hospital, established in 2007, spread across 9 acres, is a 600plus bed; state-of-the-art multi-speciality hospital located in Gurgaon, India.
• Artemis Hospital is the first JCI and NABH accredited hospital in Gurgaon.
• Designed as one of the most advanced hospitals in India, Artemis provides a depth of expertise in the spectrum of advanced medical & surgical interventions, a comprehensive mix of inpatient and outpatient services.

Sanar International Hospital

Number of beds:   130
ICU Beds:                  35
Airport Distance:  20 Km

About Hospital:

• Sanar International Hospital was established in 2018.
• Sanar International Hospital founded by Mr. Naresh Kapoor.
• Sanar International Hospital offers comprehensive advanced surgical care in specialties like Cancer, Heart, Blood and Marrow Transplant, Lung, Liver, and Neurosciences along with other major departments with advanced state-of-the-art facilities.

Fortis Memorial Research Institute

Number of beds:    1000
ICU Beds:                  298
Airport Distance:  17 KMs

Brief About:

• Fortis Memorial Research Institute was established in 2001.
• It is an outstanding multi-speciality quaternary care hospital,having the top-notch infrastructure, advanced equipment, highly qualified and experienced medical professionals and super sub-specialists.
• Fortis Hosptial Gurgaon is an advanced centre of excellence in Robotic Surgery, Neurosciences, Oncology, Renal Sciences, BMT, Organ Transplants, Orthopaedics, Cardiac Sciences and Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

Indraprastha Apollo Hospital

No. of beds: 900
ICU Beds:     262
Airport:  20kms

About Hospital:

• Indraprastha Apollo Hospital is a flagship hospital of India’s foremost healthcare groups,the Apollo Group. It is a highly renowned multi-speciality facility that offers tertiary and quaternary care services to domestic and international patients.
• The 900 bedded hospital is outfitted with the most modern technology for diagnostics as well as therapeutic purposes.
• A team of highly trained medical professionals work under all the 52 specialities at the hospital.

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Accord Superspeciality Hospital

Number of beds:   380+
ICU Beds:                  41
Airport Distance:  46 Km

About Hospital:

• The story of Accord began with the thought of leveraging the new age technology with the healthcare infrastructure to serve the patients, rightly, effectively, and timely.
• Accord Superspeciality Hospital (A Unit Of SCL Healthcare Pvt. Ltd) is India’s first smart hospital and one of the first of its kind in the world.
• Accord Superspeciality Hospital aims at providing technologically advanced healthcare services to international patients who are looking out for medical tourism in India.

W Pratiksha Hospital

Number of beds: 110
ICU Beds:                 31
Airport Distance: 19 KMs

About Hospital:

• Established in 1995, W Pratiksha Hospital is a 110+ bedded flagship hospital of the Pratiksha group.
• W Pratiksha Hospital in Gurgaon, the flagship hospital of Pratiksha Group is a one-of-its-kind facility in Gurgaon that brings to you 30 years of experience.
• The hospital has treated more than 25,000 people In 2018.
  

Aakash Health Care Delhi

Number of beds:  230
ICU Beds:                70
Airport Distance: 10 Km

About Hospital:

• Aakash Healthcare Super Speciality Hospital is a tertiary care facility, with 15 Dialysis, and 70 Critical care beds for treating the most complex cases in the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi, Dwarka.
  
• The hospital is equipped with state of the art infrastructure, latest technology, competent clinicians and compassionate staff.
  
• Aakash Healthcare Super Specialty Hospital is known for its leading care in Orthopaedic and Joint replacement surgery.
  

Jaypee Hospital, Noida

Number of beds:   525
ICU Beds :               150
Airport Distance: 32 KMs

About Hospital:

• The Jaypee Hospital was conceptualized by a revered Founder Chairman, Shri Jai Prakash Gaur in 2014, with the vision of promoting world-class healthcare amongst the masses by providing quality and affordable medical care with commitment.
• Jaypee Hospital at Noida is the flagship hospital of the Jaypee Group, which heralds the group’s noble intention to enter the healthcare space.
• This hospital has been planned and designed as a 1200 bedded tertiary care multi-speciality facility and has commissioned 525 beds in the first phase.

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