Smoking doesn’t just affect the lungs—it can have a profound impact on breast tissue as well. Smoking is widely known for its harmful effects on the lungs and heart, but many people are unaware of its impact on breast health. Research shows that both active and passive smoking can increase the risk of developing breast cancer, making it a sincere concern for women of all ages. The harmful chemicals in tobacco can damage breast...

  Lifestyle choices play a key role. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, limiting alcohol, maintaining healthy weight, avoiding smoking, and managing stress can lower risk. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women worldwide, yet it remains surrounded by myths, fears, and unanswered questions. Early detection, awareness of risk factors, and understanding treatment options are crucial for better outcomes. This blog aims to provide clear, reliable answers to frequently asked questions about...

  By prioritizing cervical health, women can take control of their reproductive health, prevent unnecessary complications, and reduce the global burden of cervical cancer. Cervical health is a cornerstone of women’s overall well-being, as the cervix plays a crucial role in reproductive and general health. Maintaining cervical health ensures the early detection and prevention of potential issues, including cervical cancer, one of the most common cancers in women worldwide. The significance lies in its preventability...

  It's important for men to discuss their individual risk factors with their doctors, as screening recommendations may vary based on age, family history, and overall health. Men should be vigilant about cancer symptoms, as early detection significantly increases treatment success. Common symptoms include unexplained weight loss, persistent fatigue, changes in bowel or bladder habits, unusual lumps or swelling, and persistent pain that does not go away. Additionally, men should watch for difficulty swallowing, changes...

  Cancers diagnosed in younger women tend to be more aggressive and may spread faster. This makes early detection even more critical. Breast cancer is often associated with older women, but it is essential to recognize that younger women can also be affected. In fact, breast cancer in women under 40 is becoming a growing concern. While it is less common in this age group, it is no less serious, and understanding the risks, signs,...

  Pancreatic cancer is often difficult to diagnose early because it does not typically cause symptoms until it has advanced.   Q: What is the function of the Pancreas?   Dr: The pancreas is a gland located in the abdomen behind the stomach. The pancreas has two main functions - to produce digestive enzymes that help break down food in the small intestine and to produce hormones, including insulin and glucagon, which help regulate blood...

  Mammograms are important tools in the early detection of breast cancer, as they can often identify tumours or abnormalities in the breast tissue before they can be felt or observed through other means. Mammograms are more than just X-ray images of the breast; they are vital tools in the ongoing battle against breast cancer, a disease that affects millions of women worldwide. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, and mammography...

  Breast cancer is not just a physical battle; it's an emotional journey marked by fear, grief, resilience, and hope. The emotional side effects can be as challenging as the disease itself. BBreast cancer's emotional impact is profound. A diagnosis instils fear, anxiety, and uncertainty, causing individuals to grapple with their mortality, body image, and relationships. Breast Cancer Treatment-related side effects, like hair loss and fatigue, further erode self-esteem and emotional stability. Grief and depression...

  Lymphedema can be a potential complication of breast cancer treatment, particularly in cases where lymph nodes are removed in the underarm Survivors of Breast Cancer need to be alert to bodily changes that can be indicative of a recurrence of cancer. This includes checking their body for lumps, being alert to new spots on their body, occurrence of aches and pains and maintaining follow-up appointments with the doctor. No matter what treatment they undergo...

  It is essential for men diagnosed with prostate cancer to discuss their fertility preservation options with their doctor. Timing is crucial. Prostate cancer, one of the most common cancers among men worldwide, presents a complex web of medical and emotional challenges. Beyond the immediate concerns of diagnosis and treatment, it is crucial to address the often-overlooked topic of how this disease can affect male fertility. While prostate cancer itself does not inherently cause infertility,...

  There are several risk factors associated with an increased likelihood of developing lymphoma including age, gender, environmental factors and family history. Lymphoma is a type of cancer that originates in the lymphatic system, which is a vital part of the body's immune system. The lymphatic system includes lymph nodes, lymphatic vessels, and various organs like the spleen, thymus, and tonsils. It plays a crucial role in filtering and transporting lymph, a clear fluid holding...

  In the early stages, sarcomas may not cause noticeable symptoms, which is one of the reasons why early detection can be challenging.   Q: What is a Sarcoma?   Dr: A sarcoma is a type of cancer that arises from the connective tissues in the body, such as bones, muscles, cartilage, nerves, and blood vessels. Sarcomas are relatively rare compared to other types of cancers, accounting for about 1% of all adult cancers and...

  Bowel Cancer which is also called Colorectal Cancer is the third most common cancer in the world and the second cause of death due to cancer. Large Bowel Cancer which is also called Colorectal Cancer is the third most common cancer in the world and the second cause of death due to cancer. Symptoms may go unnoticed or are misread, and hence when the cancer is detected, it may be in the advanced stage,...

  If not cleaned, the plaque causes the gums to get inflamed and bleed. This condition is called Gingivitis and is considered the first stage of Gum Disease.   #1 GUM DISEASE CAN GO UNDETECTED IN ITS EARLY STAGES   Gum disease otherwise known as Periodontal Disease affects the gums and is one of the most common oral problems millions of people face at least once in their lifetime. The initial stages of gum disease...

  Radiation therapy impacts each individual differently. This means that the side effects can vary from person to person. Radiotherapy is one of the most important treatment options for cancer. With improved technology targeting and eliminating cancer cells using radiation therapy has proven to be most effective in the treatment of cancer. Depending upon the part of the body affected and the extent of the spread of cancer, the intensity and frequency of radiotherapy is...

  The most common side-effects of Chemotherapy are fatigue, nausea and hair loss. Chemotherapy is also known to cause dry mouth and mouth ulcers. Q:What is Chemotherapy?   Dr:Chemotherapy refers to the usage of drugs to treat a disease, but over time it has come to be a term specific to cancer treatment. There are different types of drugs for different types of cancer cells. Each drug as a particular method of administration and schedule....

  The 5-year survival rate for local prostate cancer is nearly 100%. Prostate Cancer is one of the Top Ten most prevalent cancers in India. However, given that in most cases the tumour grows very slowly, the chances of successfully treating the disease are also quite high. Men should maintain a healthy prostate and make sure to meet the doctor if they feel any kind of pain or discomfort or difficulty in passing urine. Early...

  It is possible to feel a lump in the scrotal sacks by conducting a self-examination. Only 4% of testicular lumps turn out to be cancerous, but do not take the risk. Testicular Cancer is one of the rarest cancers among men in the Indian sub-continent, nevertheless, awareness can help in early detection which is key to the successful treatment of cancer.   Q:What is Testicular Cancer?   Dr:The testicles are two oval glands located...

  The five-year survival rate for Leukemia is 67%. The chances for survival are higher among younger patients. P   Q:What is Leukemia?   Dr:Leukemia is cancer of the bone marrow which is the soft inner part of the bones where new blood cells are made. This is why it quickly spreads into the blood and travels to all parts of the body. A person develops leukemia when the bone marrow makes too many blood...

  Almost all cervical cancers and certain cancers of the vagina and vulva are caused by the human papillomavirus or HPV, for which there is a vaccination. Medical research states that abnormal function of certain genes such as the oncogenes and tumour suppressing genes, triggered by smoking or other environmental factors can lead to cancer. However, it is not always possible to single out the exact cause of a person developing cancer. Nevertheless, there are...

  The good news about Testicular Cancer is that it is highly curable. It can be successfully treated in 95% of the cases. Testicular Cancer is not one of the most common types of cancers. It affects 1 in every 250 males between the ages of 15 to 35. In its early stages testicular cancer is highly treatable, and since a simple home-examination of the testicles can help detect the tumour, being alert to changes...

  In the case of prostate cancer, nearly 100% of the men diagnosed in the early stages can be fully cured. Q:Where is the prostate gland?   Dr:It is a small, walnut-sized gland found between the penis and the urinary bladder. It is just in front of the rectum. The urethra runs through the center of the prostate.   Q:What is the function of the prostate gland?   Dr:The prostate gland secretes fluid that protects...

  Leukemia, which is the cancer of the white blood cells. It is the most prevalent type of blood cancer amongst children under the age of 15.   Q:What is Blood Cancer?   Ans:It is the occurrence of cancerous cells in the blood. In most cases blood cancer begins in the bone marrow which is where blood is produced. Blood cancer is often the result of abnormal/ excessive production of white blood cells.   Q:What...

  Since it takes up to 15 years for the polyps in the colon to turn malignant, screening at regular intervals is the best method for prevention of colon cancer.Cancer. In most cases, metastatic cancer responds to the same treatment to which the primary tumor responded. Transformation of normal cells to malignant cells in the colon leads to Colon Cancer. The colon is the first part of the large intestine and is about 5 feet...

  Cancer can silently creep up on an individual and go undetected until it's too late. Hence, there is no harm in understanding the risk factors and then considering what changes one needs to make in order to be protected from the disease. In order to prevent Breast Cancer, one must first understand what the risk factors are. In most cases the onset of a cancer happens with next to no symptoms and once the...

  Metastatic Breast Cancer can develop in any part of the body. However, the most common regions include Bone, Brain, Lung, and Liver. No matter where breast cancer spreads it is still considered Breast Cancer. In most cases, metastatic cancer responds to the same treatment to which the primary tumor responded. Cancer forms when healthy cells turn abnormal and multiply at an uncontrollable rate leading to the formation of tumour in some part of the...

  In the case of metastatic cancers the tumor did not originate at the given site but has in fact spread from the original or primary site.   WHAT IS METASTATIC CANCER?   Advances in medicine have improved survival rate for most cancers when detected in the early stages. Cancer screening offers even more hope to those in the high-risk zone. And yet we can never fully celebrate because ever so-often, even after successful treatment,...

  Inhaling tobacco smoke causes several chemicals to enter your bloodstream. These chemicals damage the very DNA of the lungs. In due course of time the build up of damage can lead to the formation of cancer cells. Cigarette Smoking is injurious to health and can lead to cancer. Though it’s said often enough, surprisingly, it has not put an end to the habit. From being a rare form of cancer until the 19th century...

  Breast Cancer is one of the few cancers that can be detected long before physical signs occur and this improves the chances for complete recovery. Hence it is important for women to talk to their doctor and find out if they are at high risk and if they require a screening test. Breast Cancer is one of the most common cancers among women, and today the number of lives lost due to Breast Cancer...

  In most cases surgery is the first line of treatment. Advances in robotics have made it possible to use minimally invasive surgical techniques to remove the tumor. Head and neck cancers encompass cancers originating in the squamous cells that line the mucosal surfaces inside the mouth, throat, and voice box. These are called squamous cell carcinomas. They are much more common than cancers that begin in salivary glands, sinuses, or muscles or nerves in...

  UVA rays and UVB rays in sunlight damages skin cells on overexposure. Sun damaged cells can develop into skin cancer. WWhile most claims made by cosmetic companies come across as suspicious, there's one that does hold a considerable amount of truth – the need to use make-up products that have UV protection. And for those who do not use make-up, a sunscreen lotion is a must-have. Why? Ultraviolet Rays in sunlight can damage skin...

  There are over 50 types of Sarcomas and the possibility of at least 100 subsets. However, Sarcomas can be broadly categorised into: soft tissue sarcomas and bone sarcomas Breast cancer is most common among urban women. This also means that they may lose a part of or a whole breast. From time immemorial, breasts have been seen as an integral part of the feminine form and her sexuality. Hence at any age, losing this...

  Most women are not happy about losing a breast or having a misshapen one due to lumpectomy. In today's scenario they have the option of Breast Reconstruction Surgery, which involves having the breast mound rebuilt to restore the breast's appearance. Breast cancer is most common among urban women. This also means that they may lose a part of or a whole breast. From time immemorial, breasts have been seen as an integral part of...

    Over the last two years the whole world has turned on its head and the dynamics of health care have changed drastically due to the COVID 19 pandemic. With the entire focus shifted towards the diagnosis and treatment of COVID 19, all other chronic and fatal diseases have been left forgotten. Dr. TG Govindarajan, Founder & Chairman of Dr. Kamakshi Memorial Group of Hospitals, set-up his hospital with the vision to make quality...

  Life after a heart attack will involve a considerable number of changes, and if this is affecting your mental health going for therapy will help cope.   The nature of Cancer is such that patients and their doctors know that in spite of several treatment options, the road to recovery is long. The goal of the treatment is two-fold - removing the cancerous cells and ensuring that it does not recur. One of the...

  IGRT & ART REDUCE MORBIDITY WHEN TREATING PELVIC TUMORS & PEDIATRIC TUMORS   Prostate Cancer is an age related cancer, which means it mainly affects those over 40 years of age. Radiotherapy plays an important role in treating it and other Pelvic cancers as well,” explains Dr. Surendran J – Senior Consultant Radiation Oncology (at Dr. Kamakshi Memorial Hospital) as he discusses the efficacy of their latest linear accelerator in the treatment of Pelvic...

  STATE-OF-ART PRECISION TREATMENT FOR CANCER PATIENTS WITH RECURRENCE IN LUNG & LIVER   Cancer is the unwelcome guest that must be eliminated at all cost. Today advanced technology in Cancer treatment helps doctors attack and remove cancerous cells, without destroying healthy tissue. However, in spite of the successful treatment, in some cases cancer recurs and not necessarily at the primary site. Secondaries can show up a few years down the line in the brain,...

  Two important factors that determine the mode of treatment for carcinomas are - where the cancerous cells have developed and how far have they spread from the primary location. Our body is made up of various tissues which are basically pile up of cells of various types. These cells undergo constant repair and replacement at various paces depending on the origin of tissue. During this cell replacement - which is called as cell division,...

  The survival rate after Breast Cancer has increased to 20 years without local or distant metastasis thanks to modern chemotherapy and targeted pharmaceutical drugs. Before modern advances in cancer treatment, surgery was always the first line of treatment. However, in spite of removing the tumour and in the case of breast cancer, the breast itself, the recurrence of the cancer at another site, had doctors befuddled. Interestingly, as breast cancer treatment evolved over the...

  Chemotherapy is essentially a rigorous treatment, and can have severe side-effects. However, chemotherapy in early stages of cancer is found to be very effective, which makes enduring the side-effects worth it. Chemotherapy uses drugs to treat cancer or cope with cancer related side-effects. Cancer cells multiply and divide at a much faster rate than normal cells. In general cancer treatments aim at killing these cancer cells. While Radiation Therapy and Surgery target a specific...

  Advanced therapy has made it possible to place the radiation only to the parts that need to be treated and this reduces exposure of healthy tissue to radiation. Radiation Therapy is one of the crucial aspects of treating cancer for cure, control and managing pain related to the advanced cancer. However, it is not the only method. There are several factors that the oncologist will consider before prescribing Radiation Therapy to a patient such...

  Those who smoke tobacco on a daily basis are putting themselves at risk of cancer. Cancer is definitely not good news. But there is good news in the vicinity. For some of the most common types of Cancer, there are early screening tests that can help detect the disease in an early stage. When detected earlier, there is more scope for treatment, which increases chances of survival. Now that is definitely good news. You...

  Breast Cancer screening does not necessarily have to be done only if there are noticeable symptoms. Women over 40 years of age must consult with their healthcare provider regarding the same. Breast Cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women. Increased awareness of the condition has helped reduce the number of deaths related to breast cancer. Nevertheless, it is important to keep spreading the word and ensuring easy access to...

  The goal of radiation therapy is to stop the spread of cancer by killing the cancer cells and shrinking the tumour An abnormal growth of cells that gets out of control, leads to a cancer. More and more such abnormal cells stick together to form a mass of tissue that is called a tumour. Whether this tumour is fatal (malignant) or benign, is what a biopsy will confirm. In the case of malignant tumours,...