MasterChef winner Pankaj Bhadouria battles Breast Cancer: Expert shares warning signs women must not ignore

New Delhi: MasterChef India season 1 winner Pankaj Bhadouria recently shared the news of her breast cancer diagnosis on social media. She urged fans to pray for her recovery as she posted a picture from the hospital bed undergoing a surgery for the same. Dr Namita Pandey, Consultant Breast Oncoplastic Surgeon, Dr L H Hiranandani Hospital, Powai told Zee News Digital about the early warning signs women most commonly ignore.

The doctor shares, “Indian women are known to put their health last. They will not go to the doctor until things get painful or visibly uncomfortable. Ladies please prioritize yourselves and look for these early signs, get in touch with your Doctors if you notice any of these. The most common and important one is a painless lump, it may seem harmless but most cancerous lumps begin as painless lumps turning painful in later stages. Having said that even a painful lump or any kind of lump or knot in the breasts or underarm areas, need to be examined by a doctor. Other signs may be like,

1. Heaviness in breasts

2. Change in the shape of breasts

3. Finding hard areas in the breasts

There may also be changes in the nipple and the skin around the breasts and underarm/axilla like,

● Change in color and texture of the nipple

● Inward turning of the nipple

● Flat nipple

● Nipple discharge

● Skin irritation around the nipple or at any patch in the breast.

● Color changes in the breast.

● Peeling of Skin or flaky appearance of the skin

● Skin dimpling, where the Skin begins to look like an orange peel.

No internet site, no relative or friends can give you proper diagnosis. These sources often end up giving misinformation and anxiety. So please contact and visit your doctor if you notice any of these signs.”

Q. Breast cancer is increasingly being diagnosed even in women with no strong family history. What lifestyle, hormonal, or environmental factors are contributing to this rise?

There is no definite cause of breast cancer, it is different for different individuals. While genetics and family history are one of the strongest factors, we cannot ignore the rising cases where these factors are not positive. People under hormone replacement therapy may see this prognosis. Where lifestyle is concerned these are all the things we can control.

Obesity, Lack of exercise, Smoking, Stress, Having late first pregnancies, initially the average age was around 22-28, but now the age bracket has shifted by a decade. It is common today for women to have first pregnancies in their thirties. This may contribute to the development of breast cancer. Lack of breast feeding, is also one of the contributory factors. Being exposed to strong radiation, may be being under radiation therapy for an illness in the past. Especially upper half of the body can increase chances of developing breast cancer. Having naturally dense breasts, with less fatty tissue and more glandular tissues. Increasing age, women above 50 are the ones most commonly diagnosed with breast cancer.

Q. How important is early screening in improving breast cancer survival rates, and at what age should women in India ideally start getting checked regularly?

Early detection can save lives. The entire prognosis of breast cancer, depends on the stage of detection. Survival rates are extremely high in cases detected in initial stages. Cancer treatment relies on TIMELY DETECTION AND RIGHT TREATMENT AT THE RIGHT TIME. Women should start getting mammograms annually, once they turn 40. Then their doctor may guide them about the duration in which they need to repeat the screening. Today medical science has advanced and breast cancer treatments are not like they were a decade ago. Don’t let fear make you delay the treatment. Please approach Doctors at the earliest and let’s fight it together, you are not alone in this.

Dr. Ashutosh Kothari, Director Breast Cancer, Oncoplastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital shares that ‘whenever one is uncertain they should contact a breast surgical oncologist that runs a one stop clinic, like the one we have at RFH’

1. ⁠Rash on the nipple that does not heal could be a sign of Paget’s disease of the breast which if detected early is curable. 

2. ⁠Nipple discharge that is spontaneous and blood stained or absolutely water like could be another early warning that is ignored. 

3. ⁠Recent in-drawing of the nipple. Which is exaggerated when the arm on the same side is raised. 

4. ⁠A non healing ulcer of the skin of the breast. 

5. ⁠in drawing or sibling of the skin which becomes more obvious especially when arm on the same side is raised above the head. 

6. ⁠A lump immediately above or below the collar bone. 

7. ⁠A new lump in the armpit. 

8. ⁠one will be surprised as to how may young women pass of a new lump in the breast as hormone related. 

9. ⁠sudden breast asymmetry. 

10. ⁠Redness and or skin thickening ( skin looks like the peel of an orange )in the majority of cases not synchronous with a lump that increases despite antibiotics. 

11. ⁠Sudden bone pains focussed to bones and less towards joints or unexplainable weight loss or jaundice. 

All these signs need to be examined and investigated by a breast surgeon and not a GP or gynaecologist. 

Roughly 90% of breast cancers are sporadic and not genetically inherited. That is why is it important to practice breast self examination regardless of family history. 

Risk factor

1. Age is the single largest risk factor for breast cancer so after menopause any new lump should be taken very seriously. The risk of BC at the age of 30 is 1:230 women and at 70 is roughly 1:27 women

2. ⁠Studies have shown that the Oral Contraceptive pill has a marginally increased risk to breast cancer when compared to those who never took it. But the risk returns to normal once they are stopped. 

3. ⁠Delaying the first pregnancy due to lifestyle or work pressures. 

4. ⁠Not breast feeding for around a year. 

5. ⁠Increased weight and obesity in post menopausal women. As peripheral fat becomes a source of oestrogen. 

6. ⁠Regular exercise for 150 minutes a week if moderate or 75 mins a week. Exercise reduces oestrogen levels and lowers insulin and insulin like growth factor both of which are carcinogenic. 

7. ⁠Regular exercise increase the bodies immune surveillance to detect and kill abnormal cells. 

8. ⁠Exercise also reduces chronic inflammation in the body. 

9. ⁠Regular and large volumes of alcohol consumption ( 3 glasses of wine regularly) and not social can increase risk by as high as 20% 

10. ⁠Consume less fried and processed foods that are high in saturated fat as they may increase oestrogen levels. 

11. ⁠Eat a healthy diet of fresh vegetables fruits antioxidants and vitamins (C and E) 

12. ⁠High fibre diets help regulate insulin and reduce chronic inflammation. 

13. ⁠Whole grains and fatty fish. 

Breast cancer survival and treatment is related to the stage of diagnosis of breast cancer. Stage means the size in the breast and spread to armpit or then other non regional areas. 

If detected early then you not only increase your 5 year survival to close to 99% does stage one and 93% for stage three ( treated at a specialist unit and not any hospital) it drops to well below 60-70% for stage three. 

Examine yourself regularly once a month between 6-13 of your period cycle. After the age of 40 start with mammograms. Not all require an annual mammogram. 

That is why early detection and knowing your risk if key. Visit a specialist centre to better understand your risk and get your self a tailored individual screening programme that will take in to account your age breast density and risk factors.

(Views expressed by experts in the articles are their own; Zee News does not confirm or endorse the same. This article is meant for informational purposes only and must not be considered a substitute for advice provided by qualified medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about diabetes, weight loss, or other medical conditions.)