Woman (30) beats breast cancer during pregnancy

GURGAON: In a rare case, a 30-year-old woman from Sector 43 was successfully treated for breast cancer during pregnancy at a city hospital and was able to breast-feed her baby during treatment.
Usually, surgery is not carried out during pregnancy, but in this case, doctors successfully removed the tumour and ensured that the baby remained unaffected.
According to doctors, the patient was in her first trimester and came to hospital with complaints of a lump in the breast in June last year. A biopsy of the lump revealed it was a phylloid tumour and had grown to 7cm in size. Breast cancer during pregnancy is challenging as conventional hormone therapy can cause birth defects, doctors said.
After biopsy, a surgery to remove the tumour was carried out in July, followed by restructuring of the breast.
Such cases can be particularly challenging, as the patient’s health and the safety of the developing foetus must be considered during treatment, said Dr Rohan Khandelwal, lead consultant and head (breast cancer department) at CK Birla Hospital.
“The patient came to us in her first trimester and a biopsy was done. It is important to note that breast cancer during pregnancy can be very serious as it can grow quickly due to increased hormones and blood supply.”
A team of doctors led by Dr Khandelwal and Dr Aruna Kalra, director (obstetrics and gynaecology) successfully removed the tumour at the hospital in the first trimester itself. “Despite the potential complications and psychological trauma associated with a biopsy report, the patient remained in good spirits, which was the best part of the situation. She had a positive outlook and had been consistent with her yoga exercises, which allowed for a normal delivery. With the assistance of a lactation counsellor and a supportive team, she was able to feed her child successfully from the same breast,” said Dr Kalra.
The doctor added that she has encountered cases where such patients underwent treatment, including chemotherapy after childbirth, but experienced a relapse even after two years of follow-up. But in this case, the surgery was conducted during pregnancy as the cancer showed no signs of spreading. Surgery in such a condition is rare as it might affect the baby, she said.
“We have had almost 10 months of follow-ups till now and there is no recurrence,” she added. “The baby wasn’t affected at all during treatment and is healthy. The patient is working from home and is completely fine. She is coming for check-ups regularly,” Dr Kalra further said.