Is Breast Cancer Survivable?

Oct 19, 2023, Health A2Z

Breast cancer numerously accumulates in women, and in some cases, men also get affected by breast cancer, but the number of women who have died of breast cancer has decreased by 43% since 2020, following a peak in 1989. The decrease in death rates is believed to result from finding breast cancer earlier through screening, increased awareness, and better treatments.

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Is Breast Cancer Survivable?

Breast cancer is survivable due to various new technologies and advanced treatment methods. Nevertheless, breast cancer is rapidly growing in a large population of women. An estimated 2,261,419 new breast cancer cases were diagnosed in women worldwide in 2020.

WHO and various other organizations are working for the betterment of people to survive breast cancer. The WHO’s GBCI (Global Breast Cancer Initiative) is collectively performing to reduce cancer death by 2.5% per year.

Continuous research has also led to an increased understanding in the main cause behind the onset of breast cancer. Due to this, more advanced diagnostic tests (tumor marker tests) and treatments (biologically modified endocrine therapy) have come up.

The breast cancer mortality rate decreases with an increase in:

1. Increased Awareness Around Breast Cancer

There has been a significant increase in awareness regarding breast cancer due to aggressive campaigns and the availability of more information on factors increasing the chances of the disease. Moreover, there has been an increased focus on palliative care as well. In India, palliative care involves alternative medicines as well like Ayurvedic detox and Yoga, leading to holistic well-being.

A famous quote says, “A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved.” Most people suffer when they are unaware of breast cancer’s signs and symptoms. Awareness helps in getting prior knowledge of malignant activities inside your body.

Self-awareness practices may include:

Self-examination of your breast region helps detect the changes that may be signs of infections, breast disease, and breast cancer.

Maintain your body weight because women who are overweight or obese after menopause have a higher level of estrogen in their bodies, which may encourage the growth of some breast cancers.

Avoid Birth Control Pills, particularly After Age 35.

1.1 Causes of Breast Cancer

Several reasons are associated with breast cancer, some of them may include:

Increasing age
Previous breast cancer diagnosis
Breast cysts or lump
Periods in the early phase of puberty
Inheritance of mutations in the genes BRCA2, BRCA1 and CHEK2

There are some risk factors for breast cancer in men and women related to lifestyle:

Being overweight.
Not enough physical activity.
Drinking alcohol.
Smoking.

1.2 Lifestyle Motivations

Many people face difficulty managing their lifestyle; sooner or later, it will be dangerous to their health. Distress in lifestyle increases the risk of cancer mortality. So, it is essential to improve your lifestyle, or in some cases, doctors suggest rehabilitation and some exercise to increase the survival rate after the diagnosis of breast cancer.

Notably, India is one of the emerging candidates for providing therapeutic or nonsurgical methods for several malignancies.

Some similarities found in the success stories of those who defended breast cancer are:

Looking Forward to the Future: Many survivors emphasize the importance of staying positive and looking forward to the future.
Support System: A robust support system, including family, friends, and healthcare providers, is often mentioned as a crucial element in their journey.
Self-Care: Survivors often stress the importance of caring for their bodies and prioritizing themselves.
Early Detection: Many survivors attribute their survival to early detection and screening.
Mental Health Care: Addressing mental health issues during and after treatment is another common theme.
Humor and Positivity: Some survivors found humor and positivity helpful.
Targeted Therapy: In some cases, targeted therapy has effectively kept cancer at bay.
Holistic and Natural Treatments: Some survivors have succeeded with holistic and natural treatments.

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2. Increased Access To Early Diagnosis

Due to the rise in awareness regarding breast cancer, access to early diagnosis has become very easy. New research shows that early-stage breast cancer patients have a high survival rate and are likely to become long-term survivors. Experts suggest it’s due to better treatments and earlier screenings.

Several diagnostic tests may include:

Breast examination
Mammogram
Breast ultrasound
Removing a sample of breast cells for testing (biopsy)
Tumor marker tests (CA 15-3 and CA 27.29)
Bone scan
Other imaging tests like CT scan, PET, and MRI

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3. Availability Of Latest Treatments For Breast Cancer

With advancement in medical technology, many newer and more effective treatments have come into the marketplace, hence increasing survival rates. Such newer treatments include target therapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy. Moreover, with today’s technology, it is very much possible to conserve breast post-treatment.

3.1 Surgical Treatments

There are many types of breast cancer surgeries to tacke breast cancer, such as:

Lumpectomy: A lumpectomy, also known as breast lump removal surgery, is used to remove a breast lump that can be cancerous. Although lumpectomy is generally used as a diagnostic procedure to check for cancer cells in the breast, it can also be used as a full-fledged treatment to remove a breast lump.

Mastectomy: In this treatment, the central portion or the whole breast tissue is removed to prevent the cancer from spreading to other body parts.

Lymph Node Dissection: This is a surgical procedure in which the lymph nodes are removed and dissected, and a tissue sample is checked for malignancy under the microscope. It is an operational-based approach typically used for malignant tumor management.

In most cases, it has been seen that some women don’t want to lose a significant portion of their breasts, even as a part of treatment. In such cases, Breast Conservation Surgery or Breast Reconstruction Surgery will help maintain their body figure even after the treatment.

How Breast Conservation Surgery Improves Breast Cancer Survival?

Breast-conserving surgery is sometimes called lumpectomy, quadrantectomy, partial mastectomy, or segmental mastectomy depending on how much tissue is removed. BCS removes only a part of the breast with cancer and some tissue around the lump.

Decades of observations and multiple studies have shown that BCS followed by radiotherapy has equivalent disease-free survival and overall survival compared to MRM (Modified Radical Mastectomy).

3.2 Non – Surgical Treatments

Chemotherapy: Cancer drugs are administered regularly to shrink or kill cancer cells.

Hormone Therapy: Patients are given pills and shots to block the hormones the cancer cells need to grow.

Immunotherapy: The treatment ropes in your body’s immune system to fight off the cancer cells or control the side effects of other cancer treatments.

Radiation Therapy: High-intensity X-ray beams are used to kill cancer cells.

Targeted Therapy: Medicines targeting specific proteins in the cancer cells are used to stop their growth.

3.3 Latest Treatments

Scientists have been coming up with newer and more effective treatments to deal with breast cancer. Some of them are:

CDK 4/6 inhibitors are the newest treatment for advanced-stage and metastatic, hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer. The CDK4/6 proteins are found in healthy and cancer cells and control rapid growth and division. CDK4/6 inhibitors interrupt these proteins, slowing or even stopping cancer cells from growing. This new method will solely focus on a permanent cure for various malignant tumor that grows under the breast area.

A novel combination of drugs successfully killed breast cells carrying double mutations in the HER2 gene that had rendered them resistant to a commonly used cancer therapy, a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers showed. The findings, published in Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, could lead to new ways to treat patients harboring HER2 mutations, which occur in 5%-7% of metastatic breast cancers.

Tamoxifen and Raloxifene are the only drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to lower the risk of breast cancer in high-risk women.

Biologically modified endocrine therapy refers to a treatment approach for hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer that involves using modified or biologically engineered substances to target the hormonal signaling pathways in cancer cells. The aim is to achieve a more effective and specific therapeutic response with minimal side effects. This approach is employed as an alternative to traditional chemotherapy, which can have a broader impact on the body and is sometimes associated with significant side effects.

4. Awareness Campaigns For Breast Cancer

Many organisations, at both state and international level, have been organising events and campaigns to increase the awareness regarding breast cancer amongst women. For example, American Cancer Society and pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca have been organising breast cancer awareness month since 1985. WHO celebrates October 19 as International Day Against Breast Cancer every year. These events focus on fundraising for breast cancer survivors and activities related to early diagnosis.

4.1 Breast Cancer Awareness Month

In breast cancer awareness month, the whole world came together to perform World Breast Cancer Day 2023, with the theme, “No one will face breast cancer alone.”

During this month, people wear pink ribbons to honor survivors, remembering those lost to the disease, and support the progress people are making to defeat the disease.

4.2 Global Breast Cancer Initiative

WHO has also started its GBCI (Global Breast Cancer Initiative) to prevent cancer mortality by 2.5% annually.

The three critical pillars of GBCI are:

Health promotion and early detection
Timely diagnosis
Comprehensive breast cancer management

4.3 Breast Health Global Initiative Program

It is an initiative to establish awareness and guidelines for International Breast health and cancer control in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) to improve breast health outcomes and provide access to breast cancer screening, detection, and treatment for women.

FAQs Related To Breast Cancer Survival

Q: How long will a person live with breast cancer?

A: According to several studies, the five-year survival rate after breast cancer diagnosis is 89 – 91%.

Q: Can you live 20 years with breast cancer?

A: In many cases, it has been seen that some may live for 20 years after treatment of breast cancer. Also, many researchers and scientists continue improving treatment methods for a better survival rate.

Q: Is Stage 1 cancer curable?

A: Stage 1 cancer is primarily treatable. However, it may require treatments such as surgery or radiation therapy. Sometimes, you can also go for hormone therapy, depending on the type of cancer cells in the diagnosis.

Q: How long can you live with breast cancer untreated?

A: It is estimated that you may live 2.3 years with having breast cancer untreated.

Choose GoMedii For The Best And Affordable Breast Cancer Treatment In India

If you want the best and most affordable breast cancer treatment in India, you are at the right place and time! Trust GoMedii with your treatment; we assure you of a top-notch, hassle-free process.

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