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Radhika’s story
Radhika* is a 53-year-old first-generation American Indian citizen of the United States who lives in the Bay Area. She is a senior Human Relations Officer at a multinational company. She has recently been diagnosed with Stage II right-sided breast cancer and is waiting for her treatment to start. Radhika is anxious and contacted us with a need for guidance on fighting breast cancer.
Q: What is Stage II breast cancer?
Dr. Sharma: Radhika, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women, with estimates of about 370,000 US women being diagnosed in 2024. It happens when cells in the breast become abnormal and start multiplying to form a tumor or growth. A large proportion, up to 80%, of breast cancers are invasive, meaning that they spread to other parts of the body.
Staging of breast cancer is a means to determine its spread, set up a treatment plan, and predict the outcome.
- Stage 0 is when the disease is localized.
- Stage I is when the cancer cells have just spread to parts around the breast.
- Stage II is when it is a tumor and is either smaller than 2 centimeters and has spread to underarm lymph nodes (these are bean-shaped tissues that remove germs, damaged cells, and cancer cells from the body) or larger than 5 centimeters and has not spread to any lymph nodes.
- Stage III or locally advanced breast cancer is when the cancer has spread to nearby tissue as well as lymph nodes.
- Stage IV is when cancer has spread from the breast and lymph nodes to other areas like bones, liver, lungs, or brain. So, the good news for you is that it has been detected earlier (in stage II) rather than later.
Q: Is family history a risk factor? Can my daughter also get the disease? What are the other causes?
Dr. Sharma: Radhika, family history is indeed a risk factor. However, you must understand that it is only a risk factor, and no definitive cause of breast cancer is known.
Other risk factors are a history of breast cancer in one breast, early age of starting menstruation, menopause (especially if taking hormone therapy), dense breast tissue, drinking alcohol, having your first child at an older age, never being pregnant, increasing age, being obese, and radiation exposure. You (for your other breast) and your daughter must get regular breast cancer examinations, learn and perform self-breast exams, avoid drinking alcohol, eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables, perform regular exercise, and maintain the prescribed weight for your height.
Q: What are the treatment options available to fight breast cancer?
Dr. Sharma: Radhika, fighting Stage II breast cancer involves a multi-pronged approach, primarily focused on surgery, radiation, and systemic therapies like chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or hormone therapy. The goal is to remove the tumor, eliminate any remaining cancer cells, and minimize the risk of recurrence. If your tumor is small and localized, surgery may entail breast-conserving lumpectomy, or if it is larger, then total removal or mastectomy may be the option.
Radiation therapy involves high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. Chemotherapy may be used before or after surgery to kill cancer cells. Hormone therapy is used in a specific type of breast cancer that is hormone-receptor positive. Targeted therapy entails the use of medications like Herceptin for specific cancers. Your team of healthcare providers will be in a better position to guide you with an individualized treatment plan.
Q: What are the complications of the treatment?
Dr. Sharma: Common side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy are fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. Sometimes, constipation and diarrhea may also occur. Surgery may have potential complications of infection at the surgical site, excessive bleeding, blood clots that can travel to other parts of the body, damage to nerves in the area, and lymphedema (or swelling of the lymph channels).
Q: What are my chances of survival?
Radhika, as mentioned earlier, your cancer has been detected early, so your chances of complete recovery are very good. The 5-year survivorship of Stage II cancer can be as high as 99%. Hence, you should maintain a positive outlook without any anxiety.
Q: What else can I do besides getting treatment to fight breast cancer?
Dr. Sharma: Radhika, first, you should work at reducing your anxiety by practicing stress management techniques like relaxation. You must have regular 8-hour sleep and take adequate rest, as during the treatment, you will feel fatigued. You must eat healthily at regular mealtimes and a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and enough protein. You may consider joining a breast cancer support group (See additional resources in response to your last question)
Q: Can yoga help me in any way?
Dr. Sharma: Yoga helps in numerous ways for women with breast cancer, as summarized in a study done by me. Specifically, yoga can help with managing pain, improving sleep, reducing fatigue, and easing anxiety and depression.
Q: Can you share some additional resources in this area?
Dr. Sharma: Here are some additional resources from which you can find more information:
- Cleveland Clinic’s website on breast cancer, including information on management and treatment
- Mayo Clinic’s website on breast cancer
- Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Support Group
- Yoga for breast cancer
If you have questions, reach out to Dr. Sharma at editor@indiacurrents.com
*Name changed upon request.