Free Breast Cancer Surgery and Treatment in Pakistan

Breast Cancer Surgery

The cost of breast cancer surgery in Pakistan depends on the surgeon doing the surgery, the procedure, the tools or materials utilized, and the cost of the facilities. Several types of cancer can originate in the breast, including breast cancer. Breast cancer can develop either in one breast or in both breasts. Uncontrolled growth of cells causes cancer. It is usually found in women but can also occur in men. 

Breast lumps are more often benign than cancerous (malignant). Tumors that do not spread outside the breast are called non-cancer breast tumors. While most benign breast lumps are not life-threatening, some of them can raise a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer.

A healthcare professional should examine any breast lump or change to determine whether it is benign or malignant (cancer) and whether it may increase your risk of developing cancer.

Breast Cancer Surgery Types

Breast-conserving surgery is the first significant form of breast cancer surgery, which involves removing cancer and some of the surrounding healthy tissue. During breast cancer surgery, only the cancerous part of the breast is removed. How much breast tissue is removed depends on several factors, including the location and size of the tumor. A lumpectomy, quadrantectomy, partial mastectomy, or segmental mastectomy are some of the names for this surgery.

The second most common procedure for treating breast cancer is called a mastectomy. It involves removing the entire breast, all breast tissue, and occasionally other adjacent tissues. Mastectomies can be performed in several different ways. Both breasts are removed in a double mastectomy.

Common Types of Breast Cancer Surgery

Breast cancer treatments commonly involve surgery. The following are the most common breast cancer surgery types:

Total mastectomy: Removal of both breasts while protecting the muscle beneath them.

Double mastectomy: Both breasts are removed during a double mastectomy. This could be a prophylactic strategy or essential if cancer has already spread to both breasts.

A skin-sparing or nipple-sparing mastectomy involves removing all breast tissue while leaving enough skin and, if possible, the nipple for breast reconstruction.

A modified radical mastectomy involves the removal of the breast tissue as well as the underarm lymph nodes. Often, lymph nodes are affected by breast cancer first.

Radical mastectomy: This entails the removal of the chest muscles, lymph nodes, and breasts. This rare surgery is only performed if breast cancer has spread to the chest muscles.

Choosing between breast-conserving surgery and mastectomy

The options for early-stage cancer patients include mastectomy or breast-conserving surgery (BCS). The main benefit of BCS is that a woman preserves most of her breasts. She will typically also require radiotherapy. Women who undergo mastectomy for early-stage cancer are less likely to require radiotherapy.

Mastectomy may be the best or the only option for certain women due to the kind of breast cancer, the size of the tumor, previous radiation therapy, or other circumstances.

Some women might be concerned that opting for a less radical procedure will increase their chances of developing cancer again. However, studies involving thousands of women have shown that when BCS is combined with radiation, the survival rate is comparable with those who undergo mastectomy for early-stage cancer.

How long is the surgery for breast cancer?

This will depend on how widespread it is. A straightforward lumpectomy may typically be completed in an hour, whether it includes a sentinel node biopsy or not. On most days, you will be able to go home the same day. 

On the other hand, a mastectomy that provides for simultaneous flap reconstruction or axillary lymph node dissection may require up to three hours of operation. You may need to stay in the hospital for one or more nights. 

Can breast cancer surgery cause complications or risks?

Possible issues include:

Infection of the wound: Keep an eye out for telltale signs like swelling, fever, or redness.

Blood clots: If you get a painfully swollen limb, chest pain, or shortness of breath, contact your healthcare professional immediately.

Seroma: Seromas are fluid collections at surgical sites. It usually goes away on its own, but if it bothers you, you can have the fluid taken out with a needle.

Lymphedema: When the lymph drainage system is disrupted, your arm or hand may occasionally swell. Consult your doctor if it happens.

Nerve damage: Nerve damage from surgery may leave you with numbness, tingling, or pain in your shoulder, armpit, chest, or upper arm. Although it could take several weeks, the nerves typically heal on their own. For pain relief, your doctor may prescribe medication.

Hematoma: When blood gathers in the tissues close to the wound, it results in pain and swelling. It usually goes away on its own, but it can take a while. Depending on the patient’s condition, the doctor may choose to drain it.

When does breast cancer surgery recovery take place?

You may experience soreness for a couple of weeks and your arms and chest movement can feel restricted. Your doctor may prescribe painkillers. Additionally, daily arm and shoulder exercises will be advised. These are crucial to avoiding stiffness. For a while, you might feel exhausted. You might not feel as energetic as you were before the surgery. You might require assistance around the house. In roughly a month, most people can return to their regular activities.

What happens after breast cancer surgery?

Your healthcare team will probably be analyzing the results of the lymph node biopsy while you are recovering from surgery. They’ll want to confirm that they’ve eliminated every cancer cell from your body. When they have their findings, they will go through them with you, along with your next action steps. You might require additional postoperative surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy as part of your treatment plan. If your cancer treatment is through, you may consider breast reconstruction at this point.

Surgical costs for breast cancer in Pakistan

The cost of breast cancer treatment in Pakistan depends on the surgeon doing the surgery, the procedure, the tools or materials utilized, and the cost of the facilities.

FAQs

What are the advantages of breast cancer surgery?

The main objective of breast cancer surgery is to eradicate the disease, which is fatal if untreated. The risks of breast cancer greatly outweigh the hazards of surgery.

What should you expect?

You visit your doctors and nurses frequently while undergoing breast cancer therapy. Typically, this occurs during chemotherapy treatment or each week of radiation.

For many people, finishing treatment is a significant accomplishment. However, you can feel conflicted about this, especially if you’ve been communicating regularly with your healthcare staff and the interaction had suddenly become less frequent. 

Please communicate with your breast care specialist. They can put you in touch with local groups that can assist you. Talking to people who have had similar situations might be helpful.

You might have follow-up checkups for at least five years after your treatment. Your hospital or clinic may schedule regular follow-up appointments for you.

How long does it take to recover from breast cancer surgery?

The healing process takes two to three weeks.

Since breast cancer surgery is an expensive treatment and many people in Pakistan cannot afford it due to financial constraints, Transparent Hands provides this treatment to deserving patients free of charge. Support a breast cancer treatment today to save a precious life. A lot of women also need to undergo further treatments like chemotherapy after their breast cancer surgery. Transparent Hands raises funds to arrange such post-operative treatments as well. Join hands with us to help hundreds of women overcome this deadly disease. Donate now.

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(The information in this article should not be taken as a substitute for professional medical advice.)