Rare: Having breast cancer in both breasts at the same time, women should have regular screening

According to the National Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Ms. PTY (68 years old, Long Bien, Hanoi ) initially noticed a small pink blood stain on her bra but felt no pain or discomfort, so she ignored it. A month later, this symptom recurred, accompanied by unusual discharge from her nipples, prompting her to seek medical attention. There, the diagnosis revealed that she had bilateral breast cancer simultaneously – a very rare form of the disease in clinical practice.

After consulting with her doctor, the patient decided to undergo a complete bilateral mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection to eliminate the risk of recurrence.

On the morning of February 6th, the National Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital successfully performed a rare and groundbreaking surgery in the treatment of gynecological cancer.

The surgeons removed both breasts from the patient.

Given the patient's advanced age and underlying conditions of diabetes and hypertension, the surgery was more challenging than in typical cases. The operation, which lasted many hours, was successful, offering the patient a chance at survival.

According to the doctors, after surgery, the patient will continue to be monitored and receive hormone therapy to reduce the risk of recurrence. If the biopsy results from the tumors on both sides assess the extent of invasion and show no metastasis, Ms. Y may not need chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

According to Dr. Nguyen Van Thang, Head of the Gynecological Oncology Department at the Central Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, bilateral breast cancer is a rare form of the disease, but it can be detected early through screening.

According to statistics from the Global Cancer Organization (GLOBOCAN), in 2022, Vietnam recorded approximately 24,563 new cases of breast cancer, accounting for 25.8% of all cancers in women; the incidence rate was recorded at 49.6/100,000 women.

Breast cancer is a worrying disease if detected at a late stage. Experts at K Hospital believe that for women who are diagnosed early, the success rate of treatment can reach over 90% thanks to modern techniques applied in examination and treatment. More importantly, the effectiveness will be enhanced if patients detect and treat the disease at the "golden time".

Those with high risk factors should have annual breast cancer screenings.

Therefore, Dr. Thang recommends that women over 40 should have a check-up every two years, while those with high risk factors (family history of breast cancer, genetic mutations) should be screened annually. Screening costs are low but provide immense value, helping to detect the disease in its early stages, increasing the chances of successful treatment and reducing treatment costs.

For women with breast cancer, doctors also recommend that women proactively undergo regular check-ups and screenings for early detection, making treatment easier and more cost-effective, while increasing the cure rate. For patients battling this disease, adhering to their doctor's treatment plan and trusting in the country's medical system will help control the disease better and achieve the highest treatment effectiveness.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/y-te/hiem-gap-mac-ung-thu-vu-cung-luc-ca-hai-ben-chi-em-nen-tam-soat-dinh-ky-i758425/