Natural Health October 2017

SPECIAL
Dr Ng Char Hong
MBChB (UK), M Surgery (UM), AM (Mal)
Consultant Breast & Breast Reconstructive Surgery
What Is Breast Cancer?
Breast cancer is a condition that starts
from an uncontrolled growth of breast
cells that develops into a malignant
tumour. It is the most common type of
cancer among women in Malaysia.
Averages of 4,000 new cases are
reported each year, where 1 in 19
Malaysian women are diagnosed with
breast cancer.
Are You At Risk?
Being a woman in itself poses a risk of
developing breast cancer, although there
is a very small percentage of men who
are at risk as well. Certain women post
a higher risk due to early menarche, late
menopause, did not produce children,
didn't breast feed for 6 months, and
obesity. However, some inherited their
condition from other female family
members who had
breast cancer.
Warning Signs:
• Swelling of all or part of the breast
• Skin irritation or dimpling
• Breast pain
• Nipple pain or the nipple
turning inward
• Redness, scaliness, or thickening of
the nipple or breast skin
• A nipple discharge other than
breast milk
• A lump in the underarm area
You Have Been
Diagnosed; What To Do
Now?
Naturally, you will go through all the
motion; shock, anger, sadness and
despair. First of all, try your best to calm
down and not panic.What
you should do:
1. Get a biopsy – the doctor will remove
a small piece of tissue from the lump
to check it for cancer cells.
2. The cancer cells will be graded to
predict how fast the cancer is likely to
grow and spread.
3. Get advice from the doctor on which
treatment is best for you.
4. Do not give up and stay positive.
Breast Cancer Surgery
– Choosing Between
a Lumpectomy and a
Mastectomy
A lumpectomy is often called breast
conserving therapy because the goal
is to remove the cancer and leave the
healthy tissues behind. A mastectomy is
the removal of all the breast gland tissue,
which usually includes the nipple as well.
Both have the same outcome inoverall
survival rates.
With a lumpectomy, the area of cancer
could be removed and still maintain
a natural looking breast with minimal
scarring. With oncoplastic breast surgery
technique, tissues are transferred to
fill in the spot that was removed by
loosening the surrounding tissue and
surgically designing the area so that it
should not look hollowed out. If you have
a mastectomy, you have an option to
undergo a breast reconstruction surgery
to build a breast shape that looks a lot
like your natural breast
Radiation Treatment
Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays
to kill any cancer cells that may still be
left in the breast after a lumpectomy
thus increasing the success rate of the
procedure. It is typically not necessary for
a patient who is having a mastectomy.
28 Natural Health * October 2017 VOL 84