breast cancer continues to rise globally making up to 117 of all new cancer diagnoses as per the reports indian women are likely to get the disease earlier and at more advanced stages with statistics of one in 22 urban women and one in 60 rural women being at risk of this disease since this disease poses a great threat to the patients life dr kanchan kaur director of breast surgery medanta the medicity hospital gurgaon gives various insights pertaining to breast cancer symptoms diagnosis treatments and factors related to the recurrence she answered some important questions regarding the fear of the cancer and to help learn about matters related to breast cancer1417breast cancer symptoms diagnosis and ways to treat itwhat is breast cancerbreast cancer is an abnormal growth of the breasts tissue cells forming a painless lump in the breast with a change in the breast shape and size these lumps which can be also found in lymph nodes located in the armpits may also indicate breast cancer almost 80 and more cases are detected when a person discovers such a lump with the fingertipsdr kanchan also suggested other indications of the cancer like discharge from the nipples inverted nipples skin puckering or dimpling a rash on or around a nipple what is its diagnosisbreast cancers are quite easy to diagnose with a microscope analytical technique called biopsy of the affected region according to the doctor there are two common types of screening methods the first one is a physical examination of the breasts while for those who are asymptomatic theyre required to get a mammogram as a part of routine health check mammogram detects tiny lesions in the breast that indicate the disease most patients will need a combination of mammogram ultrasound and mri to diagnose the local extent of the disease which detects the number of cancer the condition of the other breast and lymph nodes in the armpit she said she explained the needle biopsy technique which is done to confirm the diagnosis of the cancer which ultimately helps to plan the treatment of the cancer the doctor mandated a pet ct scan for the patients with advanced disease this ct scan helps to recognise the intensity and the expansion of the cancerwhat is its treatmentdr kanchan highlighted the four different treatment stages of the cancer which includes surgery chemotherapy radiotherapy and hormone therapya combination of these treatments predominantly depend upon the nature of the disease for younger women with breast cancer we importantly discuss the preservation of fertility since the treatment process may lead the patient infertile however there are certain techniques available to preserve fertility so that at the end of the cancer treatment a patient can embrace motherhood if she wishes to she added she also suggested a gene test for the patients who have a family history of the disease on the basis of this test certain risk reduction methods can be employed what are the possibilities of recurrent cancerthere are