Sadly, breast cancer is considered a fairly common occurrence. There is statistics that in our country annually more than 50 thousand women are diagnosed with this disease. One of the methods of treating such a pathology is breast removal. Photos of mammary glands with a tumor are familiar to every surgeon. Initially, when a woman is faced with such a diagnosis and prognosis of removal, she falls into a state of shock. How the stages of treatment actually go will be discussed below.
Varieties of surgical intervention
Operations can be divided into 2 types.
- The first type of surgery involves complete removal of the breast. Also cut out the lymph nodes that are adjacent to it.
- The second type differs from the first in that breast removal is not done completely, but only part of it. But the lymph nodes that are adjacent to it must be removed in any case. This is necessary because they are the main distributor of cancer cells. If tumor progression has begun, the lymph nodes will be the first to catch metastases.
You should know that breast removal in full is the most effective method of treating cancer than cutting out part of it. Although the second type of surgical intervention is considered less traumatic for the patient. If a woman is partially breast removed, then she has a higher risk of cancer cells in the body. When completely cut out, it is less likely that there will be a relapse. After removal of the breast (or part thereof), radiation therapy is prescribed. This type can give complications. They are associated with the possibility of lymphostasis. This ailment means that the outflow of lymph will be difficult. A clear sign of the presence of this disease in the human body is swelling of the hand on the side where the mammary gland is removed.
Modern medicine does not involve affecting the muscles of the chest. Previously, this operation was not like this. Then this led to the fact that the hand on the operated side was limited in movement. In a similar way, the operation to remove the breast was carried out for a rather long time, namely about a hundred years. Now this problem does not exist due to medical progress. After a woman undergoes a breast removal operation, her hand is not exposed to any limited actions.
The diagnosis of breast cancer . Breast removal quickly and efficiently
The duration of the operation is short. As a rule, removal of the mammary gland takes approximately one hour. Surgery is performed under general anesthesia.
Oncology: breast removal and subsequent rehabilitation
You should be aware that after surgery, a woman will need to be in a hospital for two weeks. An important point is that on the first postoperative day the patient needs to take a sitting position, then stand up and walk around. These measures are necessary so that complications such as pneumonia and thrombosis in the legs do not occur in the body. The risk of the first named disease is higher in older women.
As a rule, the patient has no pain. At first, they give her to take painkillers, but they are not strong. This type of surgery does not involve taking drugs with narcotic substances. Such drugs are prescribed to patients who underwent surgery on the chest and abdominal cavity. By the time a person is discharged from the hospital, there is no need to take painkillers.
In the postoperative period, while the patient is in the hospital, a special drainage is placed in the armpit. It is necessary in order for the lymph to flow in the right amount. Also, the patient’s chest is tightly tightened with an elastic bandage. This is necessary so that the skin fits snugly at the site of the operation, so that accumulations of lymph do not form, otherwise additional treatment will be required
Accumulation of lymph
Sometimes, after the patient is removed the drainage and stop doing tight bandaging, lymph begins to accumulate. In this case, you need to contact the surgeon to remove it through punctures. This procedure can be done in the clinic at the place of residence or contact a paid medical institution. The period of accumulation of lymph depends on the individual characteristics of the body. You should know that in people with more body weight, this process takes a longer time than in thin ones.
What treatment should be carried out after such an operation?
Breast removal in women is not the final stage of treatment. The patient has to continue the recovery process. The further treatment regimen is determined by the doctor. Such indicators as the presence of metastases in the axillary lymph nodes, the body's response to hormonal drugs are taken into account. If the tumor was hormone-dependent in nature, the patient is prescribed a course of appropriate drugs.
This treatment regimen is considered the simplest. It lies in the fact that the patient will need to take drugs, which include hormones. The course lasts 2 weeks. The number of tablets to be taken is one or two per day. The dose of drugs depends on the individual characteristics of the woman and is determined by the attending physician.
The effectiveness of breast removal surgery
There are cases that the operation is sufficient to completely cure the patient from cancer. As a rule, this happens when the disease is detected in the first stage. Also, an important point for a complete cure after surgery is the absence of metastases in the lymph nodes. Then, in the postoperative period, the patient will be fairly constantly observed by an oncologist.
If there were metastases, then the patient will need to undergo treatment through chemotherapy. It consists of several sessions. The first session is carried out in a hospital in the postoperative period. The rest of the course can be continued at the place of residence or in the medical institution where the patient is observed.
Targeted therapy
Medicine does not stand still, and the oncological direction is no exception. There are regions where a modern method of treating cancer is used. It is called targeted therapy. This name comes from the English word "target". This treatment method is aimed at ensuring that the effect of the drug spreads directly to cancer cells. He blocks them and prevents them from growing.
Is it possible to restore the breast after surgery to remove it?
It is clear that breast loss is a disaster for a woman. This is due to the fact that this body is associated with beauty and attractiveness. Without a breast, a woman will feel inferior.
Simultaneous removal and prosthetics cannot always be performed. Women need patience. If they have undergone a disease such as cancer, then first of all they should take all measures to cure this ailment. Further, after a certain time, namely after 9 months or a year, an implant placement operation can be performed. The latter can be the size that you always wanted to have. For example, you can increase the breast or reduce. It will also turn out to give it the desired shape. The patient’s positive attitude in the treatment of cancer is an important factor in the recovery process. Therefore, plans for an ideal breast will be most welcome in this case.
If a woman is aged and does not plan to insert implants after the operation, then she should buy special imitation underwear. In such a bra, she will look aesthetically pleasing. He will also adjust the load on the spine.
If a woman is active, then she returns to her usual lifestyle immediately after discharge from the hospital. Other representatives of the fair sex return to normal one month after surgery.