Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide and is increasingly seen in India. At Bathinda Cancer Care, Dr. Manjit Singh Jaura — trained at AIIMS New Delhi — offers comprehensive, personalised breast cancer treatment combining radiation therapy, chemotherapy guidance, targeted therapy, and hormone therapy.

What Is Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer develops when cells in the breast grow uncontrollably, forming a tumour. It can begin in the ducts (ductal carcinoma), the lobules (lobular carcinoma), or other breast tissue. Most breast cancers are detected in women, though men can develop it too.

• Early-stage (Stage I–II): Confined to the breast — highly curable with appropriate treatment.
• Locally advanced (Stage III): Spread to nearby lymph nodes or chest wall — treated with combined modality therapy.
• Metastatic (Stage IV): Spread to distant organs — treatment focuses on control and quality of life.

Common Symptoms

Diagnosis

1. Clinical Breast Examination — physical examination by Dr. Jaura
2. Mammography — X-ray imaging; the gold standard screening tool
3. Ultrasound — characterises lumps and guides biopsies
4. MRI Breast — for high-risk patients and pre-surgical planning
5. Core Needle Biopsy (CNB) — tissue sample for histological diagnosis
6. Hormone receptor testing — ER, PR, HER2 status determines treatment approach
7. Staging workup — CT, bone scan, PET-CT when indicated

Treatment Options

1. Radiation Therapy

After a lumpectomy (breast-conserving surgery), whole-breast radiation reduces the risk of local recurrence by up to 70%. Dr. Jaura uses advanced IMRT and IGRT on the Varian Halcyon system to deliver radiation precisely while protecting the heart and lungs.

• Whole-Breast Irradiation (WBI) after lumpectomy
• Post-Mastectomy Radiation Therapy (PMRT)
• Regional Nodal Irradiation (RNI) for node-positive disease
• Palliative radiation for bone and brain metastases

2. Chemotherapy

Used before surgery (neoadjuvant), after surgery (adjuvant), or for metastatic disease. Common regimens include AC-T, TC, and CMF protocols coordinated with medical oncologists.

3. Targeted Therapy (HER2-Positive)

For HER2-positive breast cancers, targeted agents like Trastuzumab (Herceptin) and Pertuzumab dramatically improve outcomes by directly targeting the HER2 protein on cancer cells.

4. Hormone (Endocrine) Therapy

For hormone receptor-positive (ER/PR+) breast cancers, hormone therapy with Tamoxifen or Aromatase Inhibitors significantly reduces recurrence risk when taken for 5–10 years after primary treatment.

FAQs About Breast Cancer