Professor Cliona Kirwan
Professor of Surgery
Clinician Scientist in Surgical Oncology and Consultant Oncoplastic Breast Surgeon
Academic: Division of Cancer Sciences, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology,
Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
Clinical: The Nightingale Centre, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust,
Manchester, United Kingdom
Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in India, and more than one quarter of
cancers diagnosed in women are breast cancers. With rates continuing to rise, breast cancer
represents an increasingly important health challenge.
At the same time, there is considerable reason for optimism.
Globally, survival from breast cancer has improved substantially. Advances in diagnosis,
surgery, radiotherapy and drug treatments mean that many more women are now living long
and fulfilling lives after a breast cancer diagnosis.
But one factor remains particularly important: when the cancer is diagnosed.
Earlier Diagnosis Can Mean Less Treatment
Awareness of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer is vital because detecting cancer
earlier can improve outcomes.
Earlier diagnosis is not only important for survival. It can also influence how much treatment
a woman may require.
When breast cancer is diagnosed at a relatively small size, mastectomy can often be
avoided. Depending on the individual cancer, earlier diagnosis may also allow some women
to avoid chemotherapy or reduce the intensity of other treatments.
This is why breast awareness matters.
Women should know their normal.
Become familiar with how your breasts normally look and feel. If you notice a new lump,
change in shape, nipple change, skin change or another persistent difference, seek medical
assessment.
Breast Cancer Treatment Is About More Than Survival
With the excellent breast cancer treatments now available, increasing numbers of women
are living for many years after completing treatment.
This has changed what we should expect from breast cancer care.
Treatment is not simply about curing someone of their cancer. We must also think about the
quality of the life that woman will live after treatment.
How she feels about her body matters.
How she returns to her family, relationships and work matters.
And the long-term physical and emotional consequences of treatment matter.
Modern Breast Surgery Can Preserve More Than the Breast
One of the important developments in breast cancer surgery has been the growth of
oncoplastic breast surgery.
Oncoplastic surgery combines cancer surgery with plastic surgical techniques. This can
allow surgeons to remove the cancer safely while reshaping the remaining breast tissue.
For appropriately selected women, these techniques can help avoid mastectomy while
producing a more natural and symmetrical breast.
This is important because the consequences of breast cancer surgery extend beyond the
operation itself. Preserving a woman’s breast, where oncologically appropriate, can have
important benefits for body image and quality of life.
Even when mastectomy is necessary, modern breast reconstruction offers a range of
techniques that can restore breast shape.
The goal is therefore not simply to remove the cancer.
It is to achieve the best cancer outcome while also considering the woman’s quality of life
after treatment.
The Challenge for India
Mortality from breast cancer remains high in India, and late presentation is an important
contributor.
Women may delay seeking help for many reasons. Fear of cancer, fear of losing the breast,
concerns about treatment and the stigma associated with both the disease and its treatment
may all play a role.
This is why the way we talk about breast cancer matters.
If women believe that a breast cancer diagnosis inevitably means losing a breast or living
with significant disfigurement, fear itself can become a barrier to seeking medical attention.
Modern breast cancer surgery offers a very different reality for many women.
Minimising the negative aesthetic consequences of surgery is therefore not simply a
cosmetic consideration. It can form part of a wider effort to reduce the fear and stigma
associated with breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Know Your Normal
Improving breast cancer outcomes requires advances in treatment, but it also requires
women to present earlier.
And that begins with awareness.
Know your normal.
Get used to looking at your breasts and being aware of how they normally look and feel.
If something changes, do not let fear prevent you from seeking help.
Because when breast cancer is detected earlier, we often have the opportunity not only to
improve outcomes, but also to reduce the burden of treatment and help women return to the
lives they want to live.
Professor Cliona Kirwan
For The Breast Watch
Breast Health. Clearly.
