21-year-old woman suffering from breast cancer successfully treated at Fortis Mohali via Breast Saving Surgery and Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

Mohali, October 31, 2022: The Department of Breast-Onco surgery at Fortis Hospital Mohali has been successfully treating several patients suffering from breast cancer using the most advanced surgical techniques such as breast conservation with reconstruction, sentinel lymph node biopsy etc.

Dr Naval Bansal, Endocrine & Breast Cancer Surgeon, Fortis Hospital, Mohali, recently treated a 21-year-old woman with breast cancer at Fortis Mohali. The Patient had a lump in her breast, which was mistaken for normal lumps for her age, and was removed at a local hospital without proper evaluation. However, to her surprise, cancer was detected in the biopsy report recently. Following this, the patient approached Dr Bansal at Fortis Mohali. After a thorough analysis of the case, the Tumour Board decided the line of treatment as the patient had already undergone a surgery before but the cancer had relapsed.

Dr Bansal treated the patient through revision surgery. “Our main concern was to not only remove the tumour, but also save the breast and axillary nodes. The Patient underwent breast conservation with reconstruction and sentinel lymph node biopsy,” he added.

Dr Bansal further said, “Sentinel lymph node biopsy is considered the gold standard for early breast cancer as it involves detecting the gate keeper nodes for axillary staging. The procedure involves injecting a blue dye and radioactive dye around the nipple areola complex. Then we look for sentinel nodes that have been stained blue and have radioactivity using a specialized device known as Gamma Probe. To detect cancer cells, it is then sent for testing known as frozen section biopsy.”

“It not only helps avoid unnecessary removal of axillary lymph nodes, but also prevents swelling of the arm and chronic shoulder pain. Breast conservation gives equal survival benefit to the women as compared to full breast removal and at the same time, gives a better quality of life to the Patient,” added Dr Bansal.

Following adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy sessions, the patient was cured of the cancer and is leading a normal, healthy life today.

Dr Bansal said Breast Conservation surgery with Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy had transformed the surgical management of early breast cancer with improved outcome and minimize morbidity.