No Breast

अमेरिका के एक नए सर्वेक्षण में कहा गया है कि ज्यादातर महिलाएं सूजन स्तन कैंसर के रूप में जानी जाने वाली बीमारी के विशेष रूप से आक्रामक और घातक रूप के असामान्य लक्षणों से अनजान हैं। सर्वेक्षण, जो 18 वर्ष और उससे अधिक उम्र की 1,100 अमेरिकी महिलाओं के बीच ऑनलाइन किया गया था, जिसमें खुलासा किया कि 5 में से 4 महिलाएं (78 प्रतिशत) स्तन में एक गांठ को स्तन कैंसर के संकेत के रूप में पहचानती हैं। आधे से भी कम महिलाएं स्तन की लाली (44 प्रतिशत), त्वचा का मोटा होना (44 प्रतिशत), या एक स्तन दूसरे की तुलना में गर्म या भारी महसूस करना (34 प्रतिशत) को स्तन कैंसर के संभावित लक्षणों के रूप में चिह्न्ति करती हैं। विशेष रूप से, सूजन स्तन कैंसर के रूप में जाना जाने वाला रोग का दुर्लभ और अत्यधिक आक्रामक रूप है। ओहियो स्टेट यूनिवर्सिटी के शोधकर्ता को अन पार्क ने कहा, महिलाओं को पता होना चाहिए कि स्तन में आमूल-चूल परिवर्तन सामान्य नहीं हैं और स्तन आत्म-परीक्षा अभी भी बहुत महत्वपूर्ण हैं। लगभग 50 प्रतिशत सूजन स्तन कैंसर का निदान चरण 4 रोग के रूप में किया जाता है। रोग स्तन के किसी भी भाग में और रोग के किसी भी आणविक उप-रूप में हो सकता है। इसका अक्सर गलत निदान किया जाता है, क्योंकि यह स्तन संक्रमण के समान लक्षणों की नकल करता है। उन संकेतों में एक संतरे के छिलके जैसी बनावट या त्वचा का धुंधला होना शामिल है, भारीपन की भावना, त्वचा का कसना, स्तन का उभार और संक्रमण जैसी लालिमा शामिल है। पार्क ने कहा कि चिकित्सा समुदाय में भी, चिकित्सक लाल स्तन के बारे में सोचने के आदी नहीं हैं, क्योंकि यह सूजन स्तन कैंसर से जुड़ा हुआ यह एक दुर्लभ बीमारी है। पार्क ने कहा, हालांकि सूजन स्तन कैंसर संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका में सभी स्तन कैंसर के केवल 1 प्रतिशत से 5 प्रतिशत का प्रतिनिधित्व करता है, इसका निदान करना चुनौतीपूर्ण है। यह महत्वपूर्ण है कि चिकित्सकों को इसके सूक्ष्म संकेतों के साथ उच्च स्तर की जानकारी हो और देर से निदान से बचने के लिए तत्काल कार्रवाई करने के लिए तैयार रहें। यह भी पढ़े► अल्मोड़ा में है देश का पहला हीलिंग सेंटर, लोग पेड़ों से लिपटकर होते हैं तनाव मुक्त

Cervical cancer is most common among Indian women after breast cancer, an expert said on Tuesday. Talking to IANS, Dr Neerja Bhatla, Head Of Department, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, said that in Indian women, cervical cancer is the second most frequent cancer, but is preventable and curable, if found early and effectively treated. However in India, an estimated 123,907 new cases and 77,000 deaths are reported each year, or one woman dying every 8 minutes, she said. "Cervical cancer is unique in that it can be prevented by vaccination and has a long precancerous stage during which women can be tested and treated without suffering undue discomfort, anxiety, or financial hardship," she added. The World Health Organisation has set goals to expedite progress toward the elimination of cancer and calls on countries to strive to reach the goals of vaccinating 90 per cent of girls with HPV vaccine by the age of 15, screening 70 per cent of women between the ages of 35 and 45 with a high-performance test such as the HPV test, and treating 90 per cent of women diagnosed with precancer or cancer, as well as facilitating palliative care, in the next decade. However, the lack of awareness continues to be a key impediment to treatment participation and adherence. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has already started a screening programme for the three most frequent cancers: oral, breast, and cervical cancer. On the occasion of International Women's Day, AIIMS Delhi screened 100 women using high precision HPV test. WHO recommends using a test that gives same day results. This is the first time this strategy was tried at AIIMS using the GeneXpert platform that is also used for TB testing. It includes novel Point of Care HPV test and enabled Single Visit Screen and Treat approach. The report was available in only 60 minutes and based on the results, patients were offered treatment of precancer. Read More► Most Effective Herbs to prevent Cancer

Bhopal, Aug 18 (IANS) Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Bhopal have found the mechanism by which breast cancer cells proliferate and spread.The findings have important implications in designing of therapeutic interventions for breast cancer as in India, it accounted for 11.1 per cent of cancer deaths in 2020, driving the need for aggressive research to understand and treat this malady.The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Oncogenesis, analysed the regulation of a particular gene, called a ESRP1, in breast cancer.The team found that there is a difference in the expression of the ESRP1 gene between the normal and tumour tissues of breast cancer patients. The researchers explored the regulatory mechanism behind ESRP1 upregulation in breast tumour tissues."Our research, for the first time, shows the reason behind an elevated expression of a key gene, ESRP1, in breast tumour tissue supporting tumour progression," said Dr Sanjeev Shukla, Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences at IISER Bhopal."Another important part of the discovery was a novel epigenetic regulatory mechanism that governs ESRP1 downregulation in hypoxic tumour tissue, which might help the cancer cells to evade the surrounding tissue and enter the bloodstream," he added.The team found that in tumour tissues, a transcription factor called E2F1 that regulates transcription of ESRP1 gets upregulated, which increases its expression and eventually leads to excessive growth of breast cancer cells.Thus, E2F1 could be a molecular drug target to inhibit the growth of both normoxic as well as hypoxic breast cancer cells, Shukla suggested."The finding that such intelligent regulatory mechanisms exist in cancer cells to alter the expression of essential genes as and when required, resulting in cancer progression, lays the foundation towards a better understanding of a complex disease and for improved therapeutic strategies," he said.Further, the team also found the mechanistic aspects of cancer spread to other parts of the body or metastasis.Cancerous tumours develop regions of reduced oxygen due to poor blood circulation.It has been known that such oxygen-deprived regions instigate metastasis. The team showed that it is because E2F1 fails to bind the ESRP1 promoter in oxygen-deprived breast cancer cells, downregulating the expression of ESRP1.This downregulation causes the cancerous cells to break free from primary cancer and join the bloodstream to be carried to other parts of the body, thereby resulting in metastasis, the researchers explained."Our research shows that there is orchestrated activation of ESRP1 in breast cancer, depending on the tumour microenvironment," Shukla noted.--IANSrvt/shs/

When a woman hears the news she has conceived and will be mother soon, many thoughts cross her mind about pregnancy, birthing and finally her journey to parenthood. Most moms-to-be in nuclear families don't have any experience of handling a baby post birth. This makes them nervous about the whole process and apprehensive about whether or not she will be able to breastfeed the baby. As a lactation consultant, I often come across mothers who have many questions related to breastfeeding and milk production such as when will the milk production start, what does lactation delay look like, will I produce enough colostrum? It is important to understand that hormones play a major role in pregnancy and milk production. During pregnancy, hormonal activities increase, and this in turn causes the mammary glands to produce milk. However, this is all just preparation for breastfeeding. Mature milk production can start within three to five days of the baby being born. Before Birth Milk production starts during the midpoint of pregnancy that is around 16-22 week of pregnancy. During the second trimester, your breasts begin to create colostrum. Colostrum is the first food your breasts produce for your baby. It is usually thick and yellowish and contains high amounts of proteins and antibodies to strengthen your baby's immune system. Many mothers are not aware about this because it does not flow like mature milk. It might start as few watery drops as this is first milk that's called "colostrum". Colostrum does not leak and not all pregnant mothers produce it during pregnancy, for many colostrum starts after the birthing process. This is absolutely normal. During the pregnancy a mother-to-be should not express or pump colostrum as it might trigger the labor process. Mothers can use a breast pad just for comfort. If there is good quantity of colostrum or leaky colostrum, one can express it with hand after 37 weeks of pregnancy and store it. Also, Read This► Breastfeeding Results in a Healthier Mother-Child Duo After Birth You may start producing breast milk months or weeks before your due date of delivery. One of the first signs that your breasts have started producing milk is that they will become fuller and heavier, and they may even hurt sometimes. Immediately after the birth, a mother will see a transparent or yellowish colour of drops at the nipple area i.e. colostrum or liquid gold. It is the first stage of milk production. It is thick, sticky, concentrated and very nutritious. The baby should suckle at the breast with in one hour of birth, this period is called Golden hour. Colostrum is known as "liquid gold" because it's packed with protein, growth factors, white blood cells, and antibodies, especially Immunoglobulin A (IgA) to fight off infections. It's very important for the baby's health and immune system. In the first 24 hours after your baby is born, a mother will produce�on an average - 1 ounce (30 milliliters) within 24 hours. On the second and third day, she will make approximately 2 ounces (60 milliliters) of colostrum. Some people's breasts may leak during this colostrum phase. This is normal. Within three to five days of delivery, your breasts go through a transition where mature milk gradually replaces colostrum. By the time your baby is around two weeks old, your breasts will only be producing mature breast milk. Colostrum is replaced by transitional milk which will start from day 3-5 up to 2 weeks. Watery or yellowish milk will change in to whitish milk. The breast will feel warm and full. Transitional milk will be combination of colostrum and mature milk. Frequent breastfeeding or regular milk expression will help with milk production and also o avoid engorgement. Transitional milk will be replaced by mature milk usually between 10 to 15 days. It's a whitish milk packed with nutrients and its production depends upon the demand and supply principle. Frequent nursing will stimulus mothers brain to release milk hormone and accordingly milk supply will be there. Once supply of breastmilk settles down it keeps on adjusting as per demand of the baby, for example if the baby gets growth spurts baby it will demand frequent feeding and this might cause confusion in the mother that her supply is not enough and the baby is hungry; but actually the baby is expressing its demand to the mother's body so that the milk supply increases and settles down mostly within a week. Stay Committed! As per my clinical experience many new mothers complain of low milk supply and after assessment most of the cases the demand or stimulus to mothers body is missing. This can be because of many reasons like preterm baby, medical condition of the mother and baby, supplementation of formula, stress or postpartum depression etc. For example if a mother is giving formula feed to the baby without trying to breastfeed, that demand or stimulus to the mother's body will be missing and accordingly her body will produce less breastmilk. If baby is preterm and cheeks stability is not there, there might be ineffective or nonnutritive suckling by the baby on the breast which further reduces the milk supply. Because of some external stress factors or postpartum depression milk hormones can be affected and a mother might face low milk production. Breastfeeding takes a lot of diligent commitment, effort, and energy. Consult a lactation specialist or who will help you answer your questions and continually educate you about the ways your body is changing as milk production increases. Early initiation at the breast is good start for good milk production. If you are not comfortable medically to feed your baby after birth, colostrum expression should be done within one hour of the birth followed by frequent feeding or removal of milk. An expecting couple should prepare themselves during pregnancy for breastfeeding. Antenatal classes are great help which help in proper guidance and support that will help them sail through this journey of breastfeeding. Read More► Not Producing Enough Breast Milk, Don't Worry