Breast Cancer Awareness Month: The Stories of Survival

To fight is to be a soldier, whether on the battlefield or in the corner of your bedroom. Not only war, but Cancer also makes us warriors.

What and why?  

Millions of cells make tissue, and millions of tissues make a human body. Cancer is a term to define several diseases that occur because of the body’s uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells.   

A breast comprises three parts: Lobules, glands that produce milk; Ducts, tubes that carry milk to the nipple and The Connective Tissue, which hold everything together.

Most breast cancer grows in the lobules or ducts. The term used to describe the state when breast cancer spreads across other parts of the body is called metastasizing.   

The researchers can still not tell the exact cause of breast cancer, while the general way is to say that a damaged DNA of a cell causes breast cancer.  

Symptoms for breast cancer varies from person to person. Some of the common symptoms are:  

· Lump or swelling in the breast or underarms.  

· Pain in the breast and nipple area.  

· Change in shape or size of the breast.  

Diagnosis, Stages and Treatment  

Various diagnosis methods include Diagnostic mammograms, Ultrasound, MRI, Biopsy and Lab tests.

Mammograms are X-rays of breasts to detect suspicious lumps, and MRI is used when the lump is big enough to be felt by bare hands.

A biopsy is a method of collecting samples from the suspicious area and examine them, and a biopsy is the only procedure through which breast cancer can be determined.  

The breast cancer stage is determined based on the size, location, and spread of nearby lymph nodes and other body parts.

There are four types of stages: Stages 0 and 1, Stage 2 (II) And Stage 2A (IIA), Stage 3(III) A, B, C and Stage 4(IV).

Stage 1 is highly treatable with a combination of surgery and radiation. Stage 2 means that the region of the Cancer is still contained, and usually, chemotherapy is done first and then surgery and radiation therapy for treatment.

When the Cancer expands rigorously to the nearby regions, then it can be called Stage 3.

The treatments for Stage 3 include mastectomy and radiation, hormone therapy or chemotherapy, biologically targeted therapy, immunotherapy.

When Cancer has spread throughout the body in organs like the brain, lung and bones, then it is called stage 4. Stage 4 may not be curable, but proper treatment can extend life for few years.  

Physical and Mental Wellness  

To win over a disease the treatment is not only the only solution. Many factors depend on whether your treatment will actually work.

For example, going for chemotherapy for Cancer and then not taking care of the diet is equal to not treating the Cancer.

Again, taking care of physical health is also not the complete solution. During such a time when hope seems to fade away, mental health is of utmost importance to look after.   

Physical wellness can be maintained in various ways. A better diet, an exercise routine, yoga and meditation help to fulfil the demands made by the physical body.   

 One of the most important factors to take care of during such a mysterious period of life is mental health.

Many women find it difficult to cope with the aftermath of diagnosis. Some of the reasons for such unstable mental health are the disorder in the personal relationships, unsettling thoughts about symptoms, treatment and mortality.

Such a state can easily lead a person into a state of stress, anxiety and depression. In those unsure moments seeking psychological help is very normal.

The primary goal of psychological treatment is to help the person cope with physical and emotional changes.

To reach this goal, one can go to a professional psychiatrist, read books on mental health, follow influencers on social media for a positive attitude, surround yourself with people who care for you.

Win Battles to Win a War

A cancer patient often wonders with the question, Why Me? They think that a full stop to their life is inevitable soon. But hope is a powerful thing.

The journey of a cancer patient through the process of diagnosis and treatments is tiresome.

But accepting the fact of suffering and that the hell will come to an end one day makes the journey worthwhile no matter the outcome.   

As you overcome all the battles and finally win the war and begin to pace on your journey once again, you would look back and smile, and you’ll rejoice for the person you have become.