Breast cancer

Breast cancer – a malignant tumor of the breast. The neoplasm develops in the glandular tissues, gradually expands and starts metastases to neighboring organs. According to the WHO, breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer that occurs in women. Breast cancer responds well to treatment if the disease is detected early.

Contacting the MedTour coordinator will allow you to learn about modern diagnostic and treatment methods in foreign clinics. With timely and high-quality medical care, patients are cured of breast cancer in 100% of cases.

Causes of breast cancer

There are many myths in society about the causes of breast cancer. Among the most popular are frequent bra wear and use of aerosol antiperspirants.

What actually causes breast cancer? Doctors cannot single out one key cause, but scientific research confirms the influence of a number of factors on the development of the disease. The most common ones are:

• Genetic mutations. Inherited mutations in genes significantly increase the risk of developing breast cancer. The most dominant mutations are BRCA1, BRCA2 and PALB-2. If there is a family history of cancer of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or breast, the woman should have a blood test for these mutations.
• The tumor in one breast. If a woman has already had breast cancer, there is a high risk of developing a neoplasm on the second breast.
• Oral contraceptive use. Slightly increases the risk of breast cancer during and for 5 years after the end of the drug.
• Ionizing radiation on the chest area. As a rule, it occurs after the treatment of other cancers.
• Family history of breast cancer in the absence of identified mutations. If more than one female relative has breast cancer and is under 60 years of age at the time of diagnosis.
• The presence of a growing fibroadenoma in the mammary gland, a cyst with a thick wall or leaf-shaped fibroadenoma.
• Age. The older a woman is, the more likely a breast lump will develop. Therefore, it is important for patients after 40 years of age to be regularly examined by a mammologist. Early menopause also increases the risk of developing cancer.

The World Health Organization cites the following research results:

• During a lifetime, about one in 12 women suffers from breast cancer;
• Breast cancer has become the main cause of death among cancer patients.

Breast cancer symptoms

Breast cancer does not always show obvious symptoms in the early stages. Discomfort often appears when the disease is already progressing. The danger is that metastases can spread to neighboring tissues and organs, which complicates the treatment process.

It is important to know that chest pain is not a direct symptom of cancer! Painful sensations often occur during ovulation and before menstruation begins. This is due to fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone. Distinctive features of such conditions are the cyclical nature of pain, lack of localization in a specific place and discomfort in both mammary glands.

Researchers at the American Cancer Society recommend urgently see a doctor if a woman has at least one of these symptoms:

• The appearance of the breast skin has changed (the structure, color has changed);
• There is swelling of the entire breast or part of it;
• Painful sensations arise in the nipple area on palpation;
• A seal is felt in the chest;
• There is a discharge from the chest;
• The lymph nodes in the armpit have enlarged.

Professional diagnosis of breast cancer

According to the recommendations of the Cancer Prevention Foundation, women should undergo breast screening: from 20 years old – once every three years, after 40 years – annually.

The most effective methods for diagnosing breast cancer:

• Mammography – allows you to detect a small tumor in the breast. Neoplasms can be detected at the asymptomatic stage, when they are not palpable.
• Ultrasound – shows breast lumps and their structure.
• PET-CT – examination is used when there is a suspicion that the tumor has spread to other organs. With the help of PET-CT, the doctor will determine the exact location of the neoplasm and the size of the metastases.
• Biopsy – analysis of particles of a neoplasm to identify cancer cells. The doctor uses a biopsy to determine the type of tumor.

Examples of PET-CT prices for breast cancer in foreign hospitals:

• Germany – from $2 300;
• Israel – from $1 800;
• Turkey – from $800.

Breast cancer treatments

To effectively treat breast cancer, doctors use a variety of therapies, sometimes in combination with surgery. The complex of methods depends on the stage of the disease and the degree of its prevalence in the body.

Chemotherapy

Taking special drugs that inhibit cancer cells.

In modern medicine, there are the following types of chemotherapy:

• Neoadjuvant – reduces the size of the tumor so that surgeons can preserve the tissue of the gland during surgery;
• Adjuvant – destroys metastases throughout the body, often used after surgery;
• Palliative – relieves the patient’s condition in the later stages of the disease.

Radiosurgery

Treatment is carried out at the initial stages of the disease, if the patient has contraindications to the operation. The procedure is a one-step destruction of the tumor with high doses of radiation.

Surgery

The amount of surgery depends on the size of the tumor. There are such types of operations:

• Organ-preserving – indicated in the early stages of breast cancer. This includes sectoral resection (when the tumor is less than 2 cm) and quadrantectomy (neoplasm greater than 2 cm). Both operations involve excision of the affected tissue and do not require complete removal of the breast.
• Total mastectomy is the complete removal of the breast. The surgeon performs such an operation when the tumor has reached a large size and metastases are present.

Radiotherapy

A course of radiation therapy, during which the tumor is irradiated and gradually destroyed.

The doctor can do radiation therapy:

• Before surgery, to reduce the size of the tumor and save the breast;
• After surgery, to destroy the remaining cancer cells and prevent recurrence;
• As an independent therapy in the later stages of the disease, so that the tumor does not grow.

Hormone therapy

Special hormonal drugs are prescribed for patients with hormone-dependent tumors. This therapy is used after surgery to prevent relapse.

Innovative breast cancer treatment methods used in foreign clinics

Cryotherapy (cryoablation)

With the help of an injection of liquid nitrogen, the doctor freezes the neoplasm. Due to the effect of low temperatures, cancer cells stop multiplying and the tumor dies. Cryoablation is effective in stage 1 breast cancer.

Targeted therapy

Targeted drugs only target cancer cells and do not harm healthy tissues. This treatment is safer for health than traditional chemotherapy.

Intraoperative radiation therapy

The doctor performs the procedure once with a high dose of radiation. This therapy is aimed at destroying cancer cells that may have remained in the area of the removed tumor.

Immunotherapy

Special drugs activate the immune system. The body begins to recognize cancer cells and destroy them on its own.

Breast cancer treatment in Ukraine

Some specialized medical institutions in Ukraine have all the necessary equipment to diagnose and treat breast cancer according to world standards. The best Ukrainian doctors undergo training with foreign colleagues and master new techniques for the therapy and surgery of patients with oncology.

The main advantage of treatment in a Ukrainian hospital is a more affordable cost for procedures than in foreign hospitals. Domestic doctors use the same surgical methods as foreign doctors.

To get advice in one of the best clinics for the treatment of breast cancer in Ukraine - leave a request on the MedTour website. A medical coordinator will help you choose the best option for your case.

Benefits of diagnosis and treatment abroad

All advanced medical technologies that exist in the world are available to patients in foreign clinics. Doctors from the CIS countries undergo training in Europe and the USA, because foreign doctors have experience in working with modern equipment and innovative drugs for therapy.

The main advantages of foreign clinics:

• Foreign doctors undergo a long internship (10-14 years) before starting to treat patients;
• Doctors work with the latest generations of medical equipment from the best manufacturers;
• Multidisciplinary clinics collaborate with institutes and research centers, which allows access to new medical data;
• Abroad, patients receive better and safer therapy with drugs that have no analogues in the CIS countries;
• Foreign clinics operate according to modern international protocols.

To get advice from a specialist in a foreign clinic, undergo diagnostics and treatment abroad – leave a request on the MedTour website. A medical coordinator will contact you to help arrange a trip to the medical center.

Breast cancer treatment cost

The final price for breast cancer treatment will depend on the chosen clinic, doctor and therapy. The treatment program may include one technique or a set of procedures that doctors select depending on the stage of the disease. Therefore, the cost of breast cancer treatment is determined individually.

Examples of prices for procedures for breast cancer

Point irradiation of a neoplasm using the CyberKnife device (for inoperable breast tumors):

• Israel – from $18 000;
• Germany – from $9 500;
• Turkey – from $4 500.

Basic diagnostics and lumpectomy:

• Germany – from $19 000;
• Israel – from $14 000;
• Turkey – from $7 000;
• Ukraine – from $3 000.

Breast reconstruction after surgery:

• Germany – from $22 000;
• Israel – from $18 000;
• Turkey – from $3 000;
• Ukraine – from $2 500.

How much does breast cancer diagnosis and treatment cost?

The total cost is influenced by the amout of examinations and the treatment prescribed by the doctor. It depends on the stage of the cancer, the drugs used and the technique of surgery. Immediately after the removal of the mammary gland, reconstructive plastic surgery can be performed – this procedure is available not only in foreign, but also in Kiev clinics in Ukraine.

To find out the exact cost of diagnostics and treatment of breast cancer, leave a request on the MedTour website. The coordinating doctor will select the best treatment option for you in Ukraine or abroad, and arrange a consultation with a specialist.

Published: 06.07.2021

Updated: 29.07.2021

Medical expert:

PhD. Olexandr Voznyak

Medical author:

Ilona Baidiuk

Information on this webpage verified by the medical expert

Medical Doctor, oncologist, PHD student

Kateryna Maliarchuk