Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata has successfully performed Eastern India’s first breast cancer risk reduction surgery.

Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata has successfully performed Eastern India’s first breast and ovarian cancer risk reduction surgery on a 37-year-old homemaker and brought a sigh of relief to the family besides setting a record of sorts.

Mrs. Mousumi Roy, a resident of Kuikota in Midnapore district, lost her mother due to breast cancer when she was only 10 years old. She later lost her maternal aunt to the same disease as well. Incidentally, her father also died of cancer.

Earlier in January 2020, she was diagnosed with cancer in her right breast and underwent a breast conservation surgery in which only the cancerous tumour was removed and the remaining breast tissues and the contours of the breast was retained. She was treated by Dr. Suvadip Chakrabarti, Consultant Onco-Surgeon, Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata. She also got her BRCA test done, which came positive (high risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer).

Patient underwent left sided nipple sparing mastectomy (removal of the breast tissue while keeping the nipple intact) followed by an immediate reconstruction of the breast using an implant and her own muscles. Simultaneously, a laparoscopic bilateral salphingo-oopherectomy was also done to remove her both ovaries and fallopian tubes.

“I have treated my cancer like just what it is, a potentially killer disease. My single-minded focus was to rid myself of it completely. My husband has been a pillar of support.” said Mrs. Mousumi, a post-graduate in English Literature and the mother of a seven-year-old girl.

Dr. Suvadip Chakrabarti, Surgeon and Consultant Surgical Oncologist at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata had performed the surgery on her right breast in January 2020 (after which the patient underwent adjuvant chemotherapy under Dr. Indranil Ghosh, Consultant Medical Oncologist and adjuvant radiation under Dr. Tanweer Shahid, Consultant Radiation Oncologist at Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, Kolkata).

Dr. Chakrabarti again led the team for the eight hour-surgery on the left breast and for removal of the ovaries. The team also comprised of Dr. Ramna Banerjee (Consultant Gynaecologist), Dr. Saptarshi Bhattacharya (Consultant Plastic Surgeon) and Dr. Tapas Kar (Surgical Oncologist).

“Ms. Roy’s BRCA report had shown that there was over 90 per cent risk of her developing breast cancer. But after the surgeries, it has come down to less than five per cent, which is lower than the risk faced by the average Indian woman of her age,” said Dr. Suvadip Chakrabarti.

Renowned Cancer Surgeon and Director of Surgical Oncology at Apollo Gleneagles Cancer Hospital, Dr. Shaikat Gupta, stressed on the multi-modal treatment that could be offered to the patient only because Apollo is a multispeciality hospital. “In special and difficult cases like this, the treatment modalities are discussed in what we call a tumour board that comprises medical, surgical and radiation oncologists. Doctors of other specialities are invited as a particular case demands.”

The course of treatment in this case was also seconded by the National Cancer Grid of India.

“Most women, especially in the young age group, are not willing to go for risk reducing surgeries. But Ms Mousumi can serve as an example for them,” said Dr Indranil Ghosh, Consultant Medical Oncologist, Apollo Gleneagles Cancer Hospital.

Mr. Rana Dasgupta, CEO, Eastern Region, Apollo Hospitals Group, had a special word of praise for Mrs. Mousumi. “In eastern India, we are equipped to perform the most advanced surgeries and medical procedures. We thank Ms. Mousumi Roy for bestowing her trust in us. Apollo Gleneagles Cancer Hospital can boast of many firsts.”

Echoing him, Dr. Syamasis Bandyopadhyay, Director of Medical Services, AGHL, lauded the patient while also emphasising the need to diagnose and treat cancer early. “I hope the women who are at risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer would draw inspiration from Ms. Roy and speak to their clinicians about the options at their disposal to conquer cancer rather than keeping the disease under wraps and lending it further potency,” he said.