The Department of General Surgery at LIV HOSPITAL not only treats its patients, but also seeks to advise and inform them so as to redirect their Lives towards health and happiness.
The specialist areas of endocrine surgery, breast surgery, surgical gastroenterology, liver and biliary surgery, peripheral vascular surgery, varicose vein surgery and obesity surgery are combined in a multidisciplinary approach that brings together the joint efforts of the Departments of Oncology, Radiology, Plastic Surgery and Psychiatry.
Breast Health and Breast Surgery
LIV HOSPITAL fully understands the great importance of early diagnosis of breast diseases. State-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technology is combined with a highly skilled team that aims to apply the distinctive multidisciplinary approach of LIV HOSPITAL.
Breast and General Surgery Specialist at LIV HOSPITAL ULUS Dr. Tugba Matlim Ozel emphasizes that in the course of her lifetime, 1 in 8 women will suffer from breast cancer, making breast cancer the second deadliest cancer.
The American Cancer Society's estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2013 indicate that about 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women, about 64,640 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will also be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer), and that 39,620 women will die as a result of breast cancer. The chance of a woman dying from breast cancer is 1 in 36 (about 3%).
Professor Ozel states that modern advances in mammography screening programmes and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have increased the effectiveness of treatment, particularly in women over the age of 40.
Mortality is high in cases where early diagnosis is lacking. All women over the age of 20 should have their breasts examined by ultrasonography/mammography once every 1-3 years, every year for women over the age of 40; this is the most effective way of early diagnosis.
It is recommended that women over the age of 40 have regular mammograms even if they have no symptoms of the disease. Breast cancer mortality rates are known to have fallen by 19-64% (and by an average of 30%) in countries where regular scans are carried out. Younger women should also benefit from self-examination, physical examinations and ultrasonography.
Indications for breast cancer include mass, structural deterioration, asymmetry between the two breasts, or accumulations of microcalcification.
Because these symptoms indicate both benign and malignant disease, the results of the scan should be evaluated by an experienced breast surgeon and a radiologist.
Women who notice the formation of any hardening, lumps, or the like should seek medical advice immediately, even if their previous mammographic tests have been normal
The presence of breast cancer in first-degree relatives (mother, aunt, grandmother or daughter) is known to be a significant risk factor. The risk increases even more in cases where the cancer has manifested before menopause and/or involves both breasts (bilateral breast cancer).
Hereditary breast cancer genes are responsible for the development of 5% of all breast cancers. Hereditary breast cancer syndromes are seen in 5 - 10% of breast cancer patients.
There are two types of genes that are responsible for 80% of breast cancers: BRCA-1 and BRCA-2. A woman with the BRCA-1 gene has an 85% risk of getting breast cancer by age 70; she also has a 45% chance of getting ovarian cancer. The figures for BRCA-R gene carriers are 84% and 76%, respectively. Genetic testing is required to detect the manifestation of the BRCA-1 and BRCA-2 genes.
It is recommended that this group have breast cancer screening from the age of 18, mammography at ages 25-35, clinical breast exams every six months to one year, and annual MRI scans at ages 25-35. In addition, women in this group should also have an ovarian cancer screening every six months between the ages of 30-35.
In Which Cases Is Surgery Appropriate?
The first treatment option for breast cancer that is caught at an early stage is surgery. Either the tumour is cut out, leaving the unaffected tissue in place, or the entire breast is removed. The lymph glands under the arms are also removed to see if metastasis (spread of the cancer) has occurred. Surgical intervention allows determination of the extent that the cancer has reached, and the additional treatment needed (radiation, hormones, chemotherapy). Modern advances in breast cancer surgery and complementary treatments are leading to excellent results.
More Information
- Anaesthesia and resuscitation
- Endocrine surgery
- Hepatobiliary surgery
- Colorectal surgery - colon cancer
- Facial plastic surgery and reconstructive surgery
- Emergency care