Experts discuss breast cancer in capital
22 Oct 2012 7:13 AM IST
Not all breast cancer patients require the same treatment. It has to be provided according to the specific needs, said experts while discussing the disease in Oncology Update – X- 2012, held at Hotel Shangrila, on Sunday.
Shyam Aggarwal, organising chairman and senior oncologist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said with specific tests, chemotherapy and extended surgery can be avoided, which can ultimately improve the overall quality of life in patients detected with breast cancer.
He added, ‘Axillary lymph node dissection is responsible for swelling of arms leading to arm disability in more than 15 per cent of patients undergoing breast cancer treatment.’
‘Need for chemotherapy and chances of reoccurrence of breast cancer can be known from a special test called Oncotype DX . This gene-based test scores patient on a score of 1 to 100. Lower score would mean no chemotherapy and less chances of cancer coming back. This test is widely done abroad and in India it can help in avoiding chemotherapy in estimated 35 per cent of patients.
Shyam Aggarwal, organising chairman and senior oncologist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said with specific tests, chemotherapy and extended surgery can be avoided, which can ultimately improve the overall quality of life in patients detected with breast cancer.
He added, ‘Axillary lymph node dissection is responsible for swelling of arms leading to arm disability in more than 15 per cent of patients undergoing breast cancer treatment.’
‘Need for chemotherapy and chances of reoccurrence of breast cancer can be known from a special test called Oncotype DX . This gene-based test scores patient on a score of 1 to 100. Lower score would mean no chemotherapy and less chances of cancer coming back. This test is widely done abroad and in India it can help in avoiding chemotherapy in estimated 35 per cent of patients.
Next Story
