Breast Cancer Survivors Share Journeys at Bengaluru Roundtable
Breast cancer survivors in Bengaluru gathered recently at a roundtable discussion to share their personal journeys, recounting the initial anxiety of diagnosis, the uncertainties of treatment, and the fear of undergoing a mastectomy.
Participants at the discussion spoke about navigating some of the most vulnerable periods of their lives while undergoing medical procedures. Among them was Vrinda Bansal, who received her cancer diagnosis during the final trimester of her pregnancy. Bansal explained that she was informed by doctors that her treatment could not be postponed, shifting the immediate focus to her survival.
Bansal recalled that her primary concern upon hearing the diagnosis was whether chemotherapy would harm her unborn child. She underwent two chemotherapy sessions while pregnant and completed six additional sessions following her delivery, noting that she was grateful the medical journey concluded successfully.
Other participants emphasised that maintaining everyday schedules and continuing professional work provided emotional relief and stability during treatment. Nalini Devi, a 53-year-old survivor, shared that she approached the illness like a fever to prevent it from taking over her life.
Devi continued working through the week, attended chemotherapy sessions once a week, and returned to work the following day. After undergoing surgery, she resumed working the subsequent week, explaining that adhering to her work and daily routine helped sustain her through the recovery process.
Dr Shabber Zaveri, Head of the Surgical Oncology Department at Manipal Hospital, addressed the medical aspects of treatment at the event. He noted that breast conservation procedures have risen relative to mastectomy operations in recent times, attributing the trend to earlier medical intervention and advancements in technology.
According to Dr Zaveri, surgical teams plan for mastectomies primarily when multiple lumps appear at different locations within the breast or when microcalcifications develop. Discussing genetics, he stated that the BRCA gene is among the most common mutated genes linked to breast and other reproductive-related cancers, noting that women presenting with breast lumps who have family histories of ovarian or breast cancer often carry BRCA gene mutations.
