Modern breast cancer surgery saves lives and preserves shape

Hyderabad: Modern breast cancer surgery has evolved significantly, enabling surgeons to remove cancer while preserving the natural shape of the breast and minimising treatment-related complications. The fear of losing a breast continues to discourage some women from seeking timely medical attention, potentially allowing early-stage cancers to progress to advanced stages, said Senior Consultant and Surgical Oncologist at Apollo Hospitals in Financial District Ramachandra Nagaraju Chavali.

For many women, a breast cancer diagnosis brings severe concerns regarding physical disfigurement, femininity, and body image. However, major advances in surgical oncology have made treatment far more personalized, offering tailored options that prioritize both cancer control and overall quality of life.

Breast-conserving surgery, commonly known as a lumpectomy, involves removing the targeted tumour along with a safe margin of surrounding healthy tissue while preserving the remaining breast structure. For appropriately selected patients diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, a lumpectomy followed by radiation therapy offers overall survival outcomes comparable to a full mastectomy, which involves removing the entire breast.

Another significant clinical advancement is oncoplastic breast surgery, which combines surgical cancer removal with specialized plastic surgery techniques to preserve or restore the natural breast shape. Surgeons can carefully rearrange the remaining natural breast tissue to minimise deep indentations and visible physical deformities. In selected clinical cases, a breast reduction or a lift may also be performed simultaneously to improve bilateral symmetry.

Significant advances in lymph node assessment have also reduced the physical burden of traditional surgery. Traditionally, removing multiple lymph nodes from the underarm area was often necessary to determine whether cancer had spread. However, this aggressive approach frequently led to debilitating complications such as lymphoedema, which causes persistent arm swelling, alongside chronic numbness and severely restricted shoulder movement.

Today, sentinel lymph node biopsy enables surgeons to accurately identify and examine the specific first lymph nodes to which cancer is most likely to spread. Depending on the precise pathological findings and clinical circumstances, this targeted approach helps avoid unnecessary removal of additional lymph nodes, substantially reducing the risk of long-term post-surgical complications.

Ramachandra Nagaraju Chavali emphasized the critical importance of early detection in expanding surgical choices and improving long-term patient outcomes. Regular screening mammograms, active awareness of structural breast changes, and prompt medical evaluation of any new lump or unusual symptom can help identify cancer at an earlier, highly treatable stage.

A breast cancer diagnosis does not automatically mean losing a breast. The appropriate surgical treatment depends on tumour size, location, stage, biological characteristics, and patient preferences. Replacing fear with awareness is essential in encouraging women to seek immediate medical attention.

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The Hans India