In a rare case, doctors at Max hospital in the national capital gave a fresh lease of life to Chandra Mohan Goel, 53, who was diagnosed with stage II carcinoma breast cancer.
When Goel reached out to the doctors, his tests revealed that he was living with a four-year-old lump in his right breast and he was immediately put on chemotherapy by a team of doctors at the hospital.
Experts say that breast cancer is a rare type of cancer that forms in the breast tissue.
Furthermore, the risk of male breast cancer is directly linked with obesity and testicular disorders like cryptorchidism, mumps, orchitis, and testicular trauma. Drugs that cause hormonal imbalance, such as those used for the treatment of prostate cancer, can also increase the risk for the same.
"His condition was already critical as he was also suffering from co-morbidities such as hypertension. The patient also had a history of chewing tobacco and had also undergone surgeries previously. Based on his prognosis and other physiological evaluation, the patient was immediately put on chemotherapy by the team of doctors here," said Dr Meenu Walia, Director, Dept of Medical Oncology and Haematology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj.
"The patient's response to the line of treatment was good. The patient underwent multiple sessions of chemotherapy. The patient's general condition is good and living good quality of life," she said.
Talking about the rising incidence of male breast cancer cases in the country, Dr Meenu Walia, Director, Department of Medical Oncology and Haematology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj said, "The outlook for male breast cancer is excellent if diagnosis occurs in the early stages. However, early diagnosis is not always possible, majorly due to lack of awareness. While many women know how to look out for changes that could indicate breast cancer, there is hardly any awareness among men, making them less likely to seek help in the early stages."
She said that statistics suggest that around 40 per cent of men with breast cancer receive a diagnosis in advanced stages, resulting in lower survival rates than women.
Walia further explained, "Living with breast cancer in a society where there are numerous stigmas and taboos attached to private organs, is extremely challenging for all patients, especially males to deal and cope with the condition. Hence, it is imperative to raise awareness among men on the precautionary steps, key symptoms, and possible outcome so they are able to talk about such a sensitive issue without any judgments or stigmas attached to it.
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