Mumbai: A 26-year-old woman Nisha Kumar (name changed), resident of Bihar, landed at Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central, with a huge lump of around 15 cm in her left breast. She underwent a simple mastectomy on March 7, 2019, wherein her entire left breast was removed. The patient is fine now, can do her real-world activities with ease, and has resumed her work.
Nisha Kumar’s life was perfect until she noticed that notorious lump of around 3cm in her left breast (huge breast mass), in 2018. She was so shy that she couldn’t even confide it to anyone. After looking in the mirror, she would get restless owing to her uneven breast. It made her so uncomfortable that she even stopped stepping out of the house.
When the pain was unbearable, in May 2018, she visited her local doctor in Bihar and got removed the lump by opting for a lumpectomy (a surgery to remove abnormal tissue from the breast). Moreover, destiny had something else in store for Nisha, as she spotted the lump again after six months, who was in no mood to give up.
In February 2019, she was referred to Wockhardt hospital, Mumbai Central, and her biopsy revealed that there is a huge fibroadenoma around 15 cm, in her left breast. Fibroadenomas are one of the most common benign tumors of the breast in women under 30 years of age. In the adolescent population, the overall incidence of fibroadenoma is 2.2%.1 They account for 68% of all breast masses and 44%–94% of biopsied breast lesions.
(reference: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4562655/). Dr. Meghal Sanghavi, Consultant Onco surgeon at Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central, said, “Phyllodes tumor can be benign or malignant (cancerous) hence surgery for it differs from surgery for fibroadenoma, the only lumpectomy isn’t enough, wide excision with all clear margins is required and in view of this patient’s tumor replacing the full breast with skin involvement a simple mastectomy was required.
The most common symptom is a lump in the breast which usually moves when you touch it. It often develops during puberty or is mostly found in young women. Hence, she was asked to undergo a simple mastectomy and breast reconstruction surgery after that.”
Nisha, who first wasn’t comfortable with the idea of getting removed her entire breast was convinced. She was advised immediate reconstruction but wanted to resume her job before deadline hence she wanted the early discharge to report to her government job. hence, she has opted to come back later for secondary reconstruction. She opted for surgery on March 7, 2019. She plans to come back very soon to Wockhardt for secondary reconstruction.
“A simple mastectomy was performed wherein her entire left breast was removed. The patient got discharged after three days and was recommended to rest for a week. After a week, she was able to carry out her daily chores, and also has resumed her job now,” said Dr Sanghavi.
A joyous Nisha stated, “I panicked after I notice that lump in my left breast. I was devastated and depressed but I wanted to overcome this. I was hopeful that my life will be the same as it was earlier. I know that living with one breast isn’t easy. I thank the hospital for their cooperation and support in helping me get back on track. I would also like to urge other women like me that don’t be shy, come out, talk about it and seek appropriate treatment.”
