Breakthrough Treatments for Breast Cancer at India’s Leading Hospitals

Breast cancer is a global health concern, with over 2.3 million reported cases in 2022 across 185 countries. Being the most populated country in the world, India suffers from the same concerns regarding breast cancer and this has helped in the development of some of the best breast cancer hospitals in India. Many of these top hospitals, working in tandem with medical tourism companies, provide effective and affordable cancer treatments and therapies to international patients.

This article discusses modern breakthrough treatments patients get at any of the top breast cancer hospitals in India.

Breast cancer and its treatment: an overview

There are different types of cancerous growth and tumors in breast tissues (mostly among women), like ductal carcinoma, lobular carcinoma, cancerous growth on breast skin, and cancerous tumors in lymph vessels. However, duct and lobular breast cancers are among the most reported cases. The lack of awareness and taboo regarding the disease often results in unnecessary delays in consultation with doctors, causing cancer to spread to other parts of the body. So, the best breast cancer hospitals in India and elsewhere encourage women to learn about the common symptoms of breast cancer and regularly perform breast self-examinations. Any sensation of an abnormal lump in breasts while self-examining should raise the alarm. The next step is to consult the nearest doctors for diagnostic tests. Lumps in breasts may not be cancerous, but it can be a potential symptom.

Some of the common breast cancer symptoms are:

• Sensation of a thickened area (lump) while self-examining the breast
• Flat nipples or nipples turned inward
• Abnormal changes in skin color of the breast
• Unusual changes in a breast’s appearance, shape, or size
• Peeling or scaly skin
• Crusts or flakes on the skin

Along with physical examination, doctors also suggest various diagnostics for accurate detection of cancerous growth in the breasts. Some of these tests are:

• Mammogram – involves detailed X-ray imaging of breasts to determine the size and shape of the lump.
• Breast Ultrasound – this is another type of imaging technique suggested for patients with dense breast tissues.
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – this type of imaging technique provides minute details of the cancerous growth and helps in surgical removal of tumors.
• Computed Tomography – it helps to measure the spread of cancerous cells to healthier parts of the breasts and other body parts.

Once diagnosed with a particular type of breast cancer, oncologists decide the prognosis (probable future course of growth) of the disease, and based on the prognosis, treatment plans are made. Treatments also depend on the stage of breast cancer. Based on the growth of the cancerous cells, breast cancers are categorized into 5 stages:

• Stage 0 – non-invasive, in situ carcinoma. This can be ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) or lobular carcinoma in-situ (LCIS).
• Stage I – lump detectable through self-examination of breasts
• Stage II: Cancerous growth in the breast along with an adjacent lymph node
• Stage III: Affected multiple lymph nodes
• Stage IV: Affected multiple organs outside breasts (metastatic)

Conventionally, breast cancer treatments (irrespective of stages) include:

• Surgically removing part of the or the entire affected breast.
• Undergoing multiple radiation and chemotherapy sessions to destroy any residue of cancerous cells.
• Biopsies to check and monitor possibilities of recurrences.

Oncologists are continuously conducting research on various advanced methodologies to treat and help patients with both early and late-stage cancers. Doctors at any of the best breast cancer hospitals in India regularly perform modern cancer treatments and therapies. Let us understand these breakthrough treatments.

Breakthrough breast cancer treatments at top Indian hospitals

Early detection of breast cancer gives oncologists more options for treating the disease, containing the growth of cancer cells, and preventing recurrence. Late detection severely restricts treatment options. Some of the best breast cancer hospitals in India are adopting modern breakthrough treatments along with surgical interventions in relation to breast cancer. Early-stage cancers are being cured with these therapies. 

Targeted therapy

This type of therapy uses specially designed drugs to target and attack cancer cells without causing any harm to healthy cells and tissues. The targeting mechanism acts through the identification of specific protein molecules in cancer cells. For example,

• Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) inhibitors act on HER2 protein in breast cancer cells.
• Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibitors act on proteins promoting cell division and mutation in cancer cells.

Immunotherapy

Oncologists perform such therapy to weaponize the body’s natural immune system against cancer cells. Cancer cells mutate fast, making it difficult for the immune mechanism to identify and kill these diseased cells. With immunotherapy techniques adopted at the best breast cancer hospitals in India, doctors collect healthy T-cells (immune cells), genetically modifying them to recognize cancer cell proteins and re-inject modified T-cells inside the bloodstream. This is a rapidly evolving field with a high potential to offer long-term cures for breast cancer.

Antibody-drug conjugates

This is another breakthrough treatment performed at the best breast cancer hospitals in India that tries to deliver cancer drugs to the diseased cells by transmitting them on the back of modified antibodies. The antibody detects the affected cells and carries the drug to the particular cell for a precision strike.

Bottomline

Modern treatments can successfully treat breast cancers in early stages and prevent recurrence. However, at later stages, the condition gets complicated as cancer spreads to the lymph nodes and other organs. This is why one should not ignore early symptoms and consult with doctors at the earliest. The best hospitals in India offer advanced breakthrough therapies to treat breast cancer at affordable costs. This is the reason for their increasing popularity among international patients.