Pune Breast Care
Dr Pranjali Gadgil
Breast Surgeon in Pune, Maharashtra, India
Preventive Breast Clinic
Pune Breast Care
At Pune Breast Care, we know that prevention and early detection are critical to saving lives from breast cancer. We also realise that women do not always prioritise their health and are hesitant to come in for regular exams. Our all-women's clinic team, electronic medical records and appointment reminder systems, make preventive breast checks seem like a breeze. We help you to
Learn about your risk of Breast Cancer
Advice you on lowering your risk
Formulate a Personalised Screening Plan
Help you learn how to perform Breast Self Exams
Review your Annual Mammography Reports
Send You Reminders for your Annual Breast Checkups
Prevention and Risk Reduction
There is no vaccine you can take to prevent breast cancer, but here are 6 ways you can lower your risk and help prevent breast cancer
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Be physically active: Women who exercise even 30 minutes every day have lower cancer risk than women who do not
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Limit alcohol: The more alcohol you drink, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer.
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Don't smoke: Smoking is associated with increased breast cancer risk, particularly in premenopausal women.
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Watch your weight: Being overweight or obese increases the risk of breast cancer particularly after menopause.
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Breast-feed: Breast-feeding slightly lowers risk of breast cancer and is also important for development of the baby.
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Limit use of HRT (hormone replacement therapy). If you need to use hormone supplements after menopause for hot flashes or mood symptoms, use the lowest dose for the shortest possible period of time.
3 Practices for Early Detection
Early detection of breast cancer is the key to successful cure with less invasive treatments. Regular breast exams do not prevent breast cancer. However if you are destined to get breast cancer, your chances of survival are dramatically improved by early detection.
#1 Breast Self Exam
All women over the age of 20 years are advised to perform a self-breast exam once a month.
When you perform monthly exams, you get comfortable knowing what your normal breasts look and feel like. If you would like to learn how to perform a breast exam, we can teach you the correct technique when you come for your annual visit.
#2 Clinical Breast Exam
All women over the age of 30 years are advised to undergo a physical breast exam by a doctor once a year. A clinical breast exam is recommended even if you’re undergoing regular mammography, as some areas as some parts of the breast may not get included in a mammography image. If you do not have a physician or gynaecologist doing these exams for you, call us to schedule your annual visit.
#3 Screening Mammography
All women over the age of 40 years are advised to undergo mammography once a year. A mammogram is a specialised radiograph (X-ray) of the breast. To obtain a mammogram, the breast tissue is placed between compression plates on the mammography machine, while a low dose X-ray beam is used to obtain an of the breast tissue called a “mammogram”
A screening exam, typically involves 2 views of each breast, with one X-ray shot in the top-to-bottom direction (CC view) while the other shot sideways (MLO view). A radiologist then interprets these images and makes a report with recommendations.
A mammogram can pick up cancers several months or years before they can be felt as a lump either by you or a doctor. Women who have small tumours picked up at an early stage have a higher chance of survival compared to those diagnosed at a more advanced stage. These tumours are less likely to need a mastectomy for treatment and are also less likely to need chemotherapy, compared to tumours diagnosed once they are felt as a lump.
Chemo- Prevention
Women who are high risk of developing breast cancer can be prescribed medicines that can lower their risk of getting cancer. High risk cases include harmful BRCA 1 and 2 mutations, high risk findings on breast biopsy such as atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH) and lobular carcinoma in situ(LCIS). Medications that may be prescribed include Tamoxifen, Raloxifene and Aromatase Inhibitors. These are prescription medications and should be taken under supervision of a breast specialist or an oncologist.
"Being Smart About Your Breast Health"
-Dr Pranjali Gadgil
Breast Cancer Awareness
At Pune Breast Care, we know that community awareness is the key to saving lives from breast cancer. We are committed to improving breast cancer awareness amongst women in and around Pune city. We regularly conduct screening camps, educational events, community talks for breast health and breast cancer awareness. Our activities our supported by our NGO I-SHARE Foundation.
Plan a Breast Cancer Awareness Session for your Community
Contact us if you would like to conduct a breast cancer awareness workshop for you group. We do not charge professional fees for these sessions, but welcome donations to support our cause. Titled "Breast Cancer Myths and Facts" these interactive sessions are designed to improve knowledge about breast cancer and inculcating self-advocacy towards personal health.
