Breast Cancer: Breast cancer is one of the most common diseases occurring in women today. It starts when some breast cells start growing faster than necessary and form a lump. If it is identified early, its treatment is possible to a great extent. But the problem becomes serious when this cancer starts spreading to other parts of the body. This process is called Metastasis. In this, cancer cells can reach other parts of the body like bones, lungs or liver through blood.

By the time women reach the hospital to show it, it has spread throughout their body, which doctors call ‘De Novo Metastatic Disease’. This has come to light in a large hospital-based study, which not only tells us about cancer but also about the condition of the entire Indian healthcare system.

What is study?

This research has been done on the basis of data of 76 thousand breast cancer patients of the hospital based cancer registry of the National Cancer Registry. It was revealed that about 13 percent of women are victims of metastatic breast cancer, whereas in America this figure is about 6 percent. Apart from this, the study also found that many women in India get treatment only at stage 3 or stage 4, which makes the treatment complicated and expensive. Late investigation, lack of awareness and lack of regular screening are considered to be the major reasons for this.

What is the reason?

This study has made it clear that age is not directly related to metastatic disease, nor are pre-existing diseases like diabetes or hypertension the main reason for it. The real reason is the nature of the tumor. How big the tumor is, how aggressive it is and how far it has spread in the body, all these things decide the severity of the disease.

What do experts say?

Dr. Geeta Kadayapratha, lead of Apollo Athena Women Cancer Center, says that breast cancer spreads mainly in two ways. First, through the lymph nodes, which spread the infection through the breast to the armpits, neck and chest. Second, through the bloodstream. There is a large network of blood vessels in the breast, which transports cancer cells to the bones, spine and pelvis. He further said that the spread of cancer also depends on its type. Hormone-sensitive cancer usually spreads quickly to the bones, while triple negative breast cancer is more aggressive and can often spread to the brain and lungs, as well as affect the liver.

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hospital selection

This aspect of the study has presented a serious picture. The risk of metastasis was found to be relatively low in women who were treated in hospitals run by private NGOs. At the same time, this risk was seen more in women undergoing treatment in government or public cancer centres. This gap could be due to several reasons, such as delay in testing, lack of facilities, long queues and lack of timely access to specialist doctors. This exposes a bitter reality of India’s healthcare system, where timely treatment and lack of awareness still remains a major challenge.

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Medical Negligence In Hospitals India: A 34-year-old woman from Jaipur was left paralyzed from the waist down after undergoing spinal anesthesia for a C-section in an incident that exposed the risks of even a routine surgery. MRI revealed that there was a rare bleeding in his spinal cord, which was putting pressure on the nerves. A team of neurosurgeons from Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology, which included Dr. Anmol Singh Randhawa, performed surgery and removed the blood clot. This case was also mentioned in Surgical Neurology International in 2025. After about three months, the woman gradually recovered and was saved from being dependent on a wheelchair.

However, not every patient is so lucky. According to TOI report, Dr. Prashant Kumar, surgeon of PSRI Hospital, Delhi, says that if problems are not identified on time or proper treatment is not given, then even normal surgery can become fatal. There is no national data on complications after surgery in India, but several studies raise concerns. The Indian Journal of Critical Care Medicine, 2021, a study conducted at Tata Memorial in Mumbai, NIMHANS in Bengaluru and CIMS in Ahmedabad, found that 27.5 percent of patients had complications after surgery, while the global average is 19.8 percent.

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Why do problems occur?

According to doctors, infection, heart problems and kidney failure are common problems. The Association of Surgeons of India has already stated the need for strict protocols, but many shortcomings remain at the ground level. Senior orthopedic surgeon Dr. George Thomas says that it is necessary to adopt international standards, but it may increase the cost.

problem of negligence also

There is no dearth of cases of negligence. An elderly woman in Mumbai contracted hepatitis C after a hysterectomy in 2007, possibly due to unclean equipment. The court considered it medical negligence and ordered compensation to the hospital. Plastic surgeon Dr. Utkarsh Srivastava explains that negligence in surgery often occurs due to not following basic rules, such as surgery at the wrong place, equipment being left in the body or lack of sterilization. In one case in Tamil Nadu, several people even died due to infection spread through unclean equipment.

Small mistakes prove costly

Sometimes even a small mistake becomes a big tragedy. In Chennai, a player’s leg had to be amputated because he forgot to remove the tourniquet during surgery and he later died. In Kerala, forceps were found in the body of a woman five years after the operation. Doctors say that pressure on the system is also a reason. Dr. K. of Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association. According to Senthil, the workload on doctors in government hospitals is high and resources are limited.

What do experts say?

Experts also say that nowadays diseases like diabetes, high BP and obesity make surgery more complicated. According to Dr. Jalil D Parker of Lilavati Hospital, even minor surgeries are not completely risk free. Doctors advise that it is important to strictly follow the protocols before and after surgery. The patient should disclose his complete medical history and hospitals should adopt WHO surgical safety guidelines.

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Disclaimer: This information is based on research studies and expert opinion. Do not consider this as a substitute for medical advice. Before adopting any new activity or exercise, please consult your doctor or relevant specialist.

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