Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer Treatment at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Kurla

Breast cancer starts when cells in the breast divide abnormally and form a tumour, a lump of unwanted tissue. At CritiCare Asia Hospitals, a breast cancer hospital in Mumbai, we see it begin most often in the milk ducts, the small tubes that carry milk, or in the lobules, the glands that make milk. About 1 in 28 women in India may develop it in their lifetime. It is more common after age 50, but younger women can be affected too. When found early, it is highly treatable, and that is the aim of breast cancer treatment in Kurla, Mumbai.

Symptoms of Breast Cancer

A lump is the sign most people know, but it is not the only one. Waiting for a lump alone can delay diagnosis. Watch for:

• A lump or thick area that feels different from the tissue around it

• Fluid from the nipple, especially if it has blood in it

• A nipple that turns inward when it did not before

• Skin that dimples or looks like the peel of an orange

• Swelling or a new lump in the armpit, even with no breast lump

• Any change in breast size, shape or skin

Even a small change that stays needs to be checked. Do not wait. Our best oncologists in Mumbai can guide you on the next step.

How Breast Cancer Is Screened

Screening means checking for cancer before symptoms appear.

• Clinical breast exam
  a doctor examines both breasts and the lymph nodes in the armpit

• Mammography
  an X-ray of the breast, the main screening test. The right age to start differs for each woman, so ask your doctor

• Breast self-exam
  knowing how your breasts normally look and feel helps you notice changes between check-ups

• MRI
  used only for women at high risk because of family history or genes, along with mammography

Types of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a group of conditions, not one disease.

• Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
  early cancer that stays inside the milk ducts, highly treatable

• Invasive ductal carcinoma
  the most common type, starting in the duct and spreading into nearby tissue

• Invasive lobular carcinoma
  starts in the lobules and can be harder to see on a mammogram

• Triple-negative breast cancer
  has no estrogen, progesterone, or HER2 receptors (docking points on cancer cells), so hormone medicines do not work and a different chemotherapy is used

• HER2-positive breast cancer
  driven by too much HER2 protein and treated with HER2-targeted medicines

• Inflammatory breast cancer
  rare and fast, causing redness and swelling instead of a lump, and often mistaken for infection at first

Our oncologists and breast cancer surgeons in Kurla, Mumbai identify the exact type before planning care.

Risk Factors

• BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene changes passed down in families, which raise the lifetime risk of breast and ovarian cancer
• Early first period or late menopause, which means longer exposure to hormones
• Never having carried a pregnancy, which brings slightly higher risk
• Long-term hormone replacement therapy after menopause
• Dense breast tissue, which is harder to read on a mammogram and raises risk by itself
• Family history, obesity and alcohol, which add to risk but less strongly

Only 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers come from an inherited gene change. For most women, risk comes from several factors together, so screening matters whatever your family history.

How Breast Cancer Is Diagnosed

If a scan or a change you noticed causes concern, a core needle biopsy is done. A thin needle takes a small tissue sample. The lab studies the cell type, the grade (how fast cells look likely to grow), and the receptors for estrogen, progesterone, and HER2. These results decide which treatments will work. Women with a strong family history may be offered genetic counselling, which explains whether gene testing makes sense for them and their relatives.

Treatment Options for Breast Cancer

The plan depends on type, stage, grade and receptors, and most women need more than one treatment.

• Breast-conserving surgery
  removes the tumour and a margin of healthy tissue, and keeps the breast

• Mastectomy
  removes all breast tissue, and is sometimes extended to the other breast for women at high genetic risk

• Sentinel lymph node biopsy
  checks the first armpit node to see if cancer has spread, often avoiding larger surgery

• Radiation therapy
  high-energy rays that lower the chance of the cancer returning, commonly given after breast-conserving surgery

• Chemotherapy
  cancer-killing medicines, given before or after surgery

• Hormone therapy
  for cancers fed by estrogen or progesterone

• Targeted therapy (trastuzumab)
  for HER2-positive cancers

• Reconstruction
  rebuilding the breast after mastectomy, at the same time or later

Ask our team whether you need breast cancer surgery in Kurla, Mumbai.

Breast Cancer Treatment at CritiCare Asia Hospitals, Kurla

Breast cancer care means many visits, so cost and access matter. At CritiCare Asia Hospitals, a leading breast cancer hospital in Kurla, Mumbai, scans, treatment and follow-ups stay within easy reach. Our team explains the estimate and the insurance or cashless process before treatment starts. Care begins with the full picture: biopsy, receptor tests and imaging. The oncology team then weighs breast-conserving surgery against mastectomy, and plans chemotherapy, radiation or hormone therapy by receptor status and stage. Reconstruction is discussed during surgical planning itself. If you have noticed a lump, skin change, or nipple discharge, do not wait for your next mammogram. Speak with our oncology team.