The age of breast cancer patients is getting younger

The Nuclear Medicine and Oncology Center - Bach Mai Hospital is treating a female patient with breast cancer at a relatively young age. Ng.TT (29 years old, in Hanoi) accidentally discovered a tumor in her left breast, went to the doctor and was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer.

Ms. Ng.TT said that because she thought she was young and in good health, she did not go for regular health check-ups. Recently, she discovered an unusual lump in her left breast that gradually grew larger and was a bit painful, so she went to Bach Mai Hospital for a check-up.

According to Master, Doctor Le Van Long, Center for Nuclear Medicine and Oncology, Bach Mai Hospital, through examination and clinical results, the patient was diagnosed with a tumor in the left breast. After a biopsy, unfortunately the patient was diagnosed with breast cancer.

"However, the patient was also lucky to have the cancer detected in the early stages (stage 2) of the disease," said Dr. Long.

After consulting with specialists in Oncology, Pathology, ... especially with experts in Plastic Surgery, the patient was given the most advanced treatment methods today, from surgery to plastic surgery and using targeted drug treatments, such as anti-her-2 therapy.

The doctors performed a total mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection (when the surgery was done, the skin was saved and the areola was preserved). The patient then underwent surgery to reconstruct the left breast using a DIEP flap (all the excess skin and fat tissue in the abdomen) to cover the defect in the operated breast. The operated breast after reconstruction was very symmetrical and could reach 90% of the size of the other breast. Currently, the patient's condition is stable and almost completely cured.

Dr. Long added that currently, female patients who have given birth often have excess skin in the abdomen. In addition to the surgical treatment method of complete mastectomy and lymph node dissection, the hospital also uses a new method combined with the specialty of cosmetic plastic surgery, using DIEP flaps (taking all excess skin and fat tissue in the abdomen) to create autologous flaps, reconstructing the patient's abdominal wall. Thereby making the patient's abdominal wall more aesthetic. Thus, the patient is both cured and ensures aesthetics.

Dr. Long recommends that in order to prevent breast cancer, screening plays a very important role. Regular health check-ups in Vietnam are quite low, especially among young people. They often think that young people have a low risk of getting breast cancer.

According to experts, the cure rate of breast cancer if detected early can reach more than 90%, even up to 98%. Meanwhile, for patients detected at a late stage, the 5-year survival rate is only less than 20%.

To screen for breast cancer, we only need to do simple tests such as ultrasound, or self-examine ourselves. If we see any unusual lumps or tumors, we need to go to a specialized medical facility for examination and early detection.

For patients who come to the hospital at a late stage, the cost of treatment will be much more expensive. Patients will not be able to use early stage treatment methods that can cure them, but will only be treated with the goal of prolonging the patient's life.

According to statistics worldwide, breast cancer is becoming younger and more common. GLOBOCAN 2022 data shows that breast cancer used to be behind other cancers, but has now "risen" to the second position in the world and is the leading position in Vietnam. Every year, the world records about more than 2 million cases of the disease, while in Vietnam alone, nearly 25,000 cases were recorded in 2022.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/do-tuoi-benh-nhan-bi-ung-thu-vu-dang-tre-hoa-post816381.html