Our experts:
Mammologist-radiologist, senior researcher at the National Center for Oncology of the Reproductive Organs, Moscow Oncology Institute named after. P. A. Herzen, candidate of medical sciences Mikhail Mazo.
Head of the Department of Breast Tumors, Leading Researcher at the Federal State Budgetary Institution National Medical Research Center of Oncology named after. N. N. Petrova" Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Doctor of Medical Sciences Petr Krivorotko.
Oncologist, hematologist, candidate of medical sciences Mikhail Laskov.
Radiotherapist, oncologist, chief consultant on radiation therapy and oncology, chief freelance radiotherapy specialist in Moscow Salim Nidal.
There has been a real breakthrough in the treatment of one of the most common cancers, breast cancer. Thanks to this, the terrible diagnosis, which once sounded like a death sentence, ceased to be perceived as fatal.
The enemy is advancing - we are not giving up
Of course, we are still far from considering cancer an insignificant threat. Moreover, the relevance of this problem today is greater than ever. After all, breast cancer is the leading cancer in women, with a tendency to constantly increase. Globally, the incidence is increasing by 1–2% per year. And over the past 20 years it has grown by 64%!
In Russia, more than 60 thousand people are diagnosed with this diagnosis every year. And more than half a million patients are already under the dispensary supervision of an oncologist. Moreover, the disease is rapidly getting younger. Over the past decade, the number of patients under 40 years of age has increased by 34%. And one more sad point - despite the possibilities of early diagnosis, about 40% of patients find out about their disease in the later stages, when it is already very difficult to help them.
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From stress to obesity. Doctor about factors influencing the development of breast cancer
How you can help yourself fight the disease
In order to defeat breast cancer, you must do the following:
- Be sure to learn the techniques of breast self-examination, conduct it regularly, and contact a specialist at the slightest sign of changes. Women who have reached the age of 40 should undergo mammography every year, regardless of the presence of changes or complaints.
- Seeing a doctor immediately can be a daunting task for many. But it should be remembered that any delay in such a situation can have a very detrimental effect on health and affect the further prognosis after surgery.
- When the diagnosis is confirmed, you should not panic. You can tell your family and friends about your problem; their support will significantly reduce the degree of distress.
- You should not be afraid of surgical intervention with a diagnosis such as breast cancer, and do not torment yourself with questions about how to survive such treatment. It must be remembered that at the moment there are advanced technologies that make it possible to carry out treatment with minimal losses while obtaining maximum effect.
- You should not compare yourself with other patients and try on their negative experiences. It is better to be interested in the many examples, and there are many of them, that can be found on the Internet or in the literature, when an optimistic attitude in the fight against the disease led to positive results in women with a tumor.
- You should not turn to “traditional healers” who promise a quick recovery. In this way, you can waste valuable time and worsen your situation.
Active lifestyle
Surviving breast cancer After the operation, you can again lead an active lifestyle, exercise or swim. You cannot sunbathe, either on the beach or in a solarium, change your region of residence, or travel to countries with a tropical climate for 15 years. Natural products should be used in food. It is recommended to minimize the time you use your computer and mobile phone.
Until it's not too late!
In America, 1 in 8 women is at risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime, in Europe - 1 in 12, and only in Asia is this disease relatively rare (in Japan it occurs in 1 in 80 women). Although Russian women are somewhere in the middle in terms of risk, the percentage of 5-year survival (in oncology this indicator is almost equivalent to cure) is much lower (55% instead of 80–90% in the USA and Western Europe). But it is quite possible to radically improve the situation. To do this, women simply need to be examined regularly, without waiting for symptoms. Fortunately, diagnostics have come a long way. According to research, if a woman under 50 years old gets regular mammograms, she reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer by 15%. And for women over 50 years old, this percentage is even higher – 23%. This test can be completed free of charge once every 2 years as part of a medical examination at a district clinic.
Important!
The risk of the disease increases with age. There are no statistics in Russia, but, for example, in the USA, about 5% of all breast cancer diagnoses occur in women under 40 years of age. About a quarter of cases are detected between 40 and 50 years of age. The remaining patients receive their diagnosis after 50 years of age (peak at 70 years of age).
Today, film mammography has been replaced by digital breast tomosynthesis - three-dimensional mammography. This study shows the gland not in two projections (top and side), but in volume, which avoids the effect of “tissue overlap” and increases the accuracy of the method. In doubtful cases, contrast spectral mammography is also used (with the introduction of a contrast agent into the body). Traditional ultrasound has also been modified - today automatic 3D scanning of the mammary glands is already used, which is not only more accurate, but also more informative than the manual method, since it analyzes more parameters. Invasive diagnostic methods do not stand still either. Instead of the usual fine-needle biopsy, which was previously used to investigate suspicious neoplasms in the mammary gland, vacuum aspiration biopsy has been used in the last 10 years. It is not carried out blindly, but under the control of ultrasound, x-ray or MRI. By the way, this method can not only distinguish “good” from “evil”, but also cure a benign tumor of the mammary glands without a scalpel.
Angelina Jolie syndrome. Who should have their breasts checked by a geneticist Read more
Prevention
One of the main points of successfully fighting cancer is its prevention. It is aimed, first of all, at ensuring that any woman can know what needs to be done to prevent the development of such a pathology. Prevention can be primary and secondary.
Primary methods
- Having a child before the age of 30, breastfeeding for at least 6 months, correct use of hormonal contraceptive methods, and avoiding abortion.
- Giving up bad habits, avoiding stressful situations.
- Self-examination monthly, on a certain day of the cycle.
Secondary Methods
- Annual mammography (this applies to women after 40-45 years).
- Ultrasound examination of the mammary glands.
- Timely detection and treatment of mastopathy or fibroma (which are considered precancerous).
Save everything you can
Surgical treatment has also changed significantly. Today, the priority is organ-saving methods. And it's not just about aesthetics. After all, the traditional operation used since 1882 - radical mastectomy - not only disfigured, but also crippled the woman, since in addition to the mammary gland, the surgeon had to remove the patient’s pectoralis major and minor muscles, as well as regional lymph nodes. After such an intervention, there was a very high risk of developing lymphedema (lymphatic swelling), dysfunction of the shoulder joint, pain, and loss of tissue sensitivity. Nowadays, such a volume of surgery is performed extremely rarely - only when the tumor is very large and grows into muscle tissue. After all, it has been proven that a modified radical mastectomy, in which only the axillary lymph nodes are removed and part of the skin of the breast and underlying muscles remains intact, works just as well.
Today, more and more often (of course, if possible), surgeons refuse to completely remove lymph nodes. Although, starting from the 19th century and until the end of the last century, excision of lymph nodes under the armpit was carried out for all patients in a row. But today this intervention is carried out only when indicated. To determine the extent of the operation, a biopsy of the so-called sentinel node (the lymph node closest to the tumor) is performed. If tumor cells are not found there, then most likely they are not in other lymph nodes and, therefore, their removal is not required. Of course, there is a small risk of error, so a definitive examination of the sentinel node is required after surgery. If metastases are still found in it, the remaining lymph nodes under the arm will have to be removed during an additional operation.
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Fear is worse than cancer. How to prevent a tragedy
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How to help yourself with breast cancer
Women who received a terrible diagnosis told how to cope with the disease October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Therefore, now is the best time to remind about this problem, which, unfortunately, can affect each of us. As part of the joint special project “Today” and the Rinat Akhmetov Charitable Foundation “Development of Ukraine” - “Stop, cancer!” we will tell two stories of women who heard this terrible diagnosis. Their experience will help you look at your life differently - so that you never hear the phrase “You have breast cancer.” And for those who have already been diagnosed with this disease, their stories will help them change their lifestyle in order to overcome this disease.
"WHY ME? NOBODY UNDERSTANDED"
DIAGNOSIS. Most of the advertisements that hang near one of the Kyiv cancer centers offer wigs and delivery of cancer drugs. Almost all the papers with telephone numbers were torn off. Quite recently, one of the patients of this center, Tatyana, wore a wig. Last year she had a routine examination with a gynecologist, and for the sake of prevention, he advised her to be checked by a mammologist. On an ultrasound, he found small nodules in the left breast area and reassured me that this happens to almost everyone at this age (Tanya was 39 at the time). He advised me to monitor myself and prescribed hormonal cream. Tatyana used it regularly and six months later went for an ultrasound again, which no longer detected any nodules, but showed a sheet-shaped fibroadenoma. Capillaries and vessels were moving away from it, which means it was growing. This is not a very good sign, and they suggested removing the formation. But what woman would calmly agree to this? We agreed that we needed to be monitored and prescribed hormonal pills. After a couple of months, Tanya realized: the lump began to be felt. The mammologist sent me for a consultation to the oncology center. She was given a biopsy and told: “You have breast cancer.” CAUSES. "Why me? Nobody understood this. I didn’t have any particular stress, I led a more or less healthy lifestyle,” reflects Tatyana. — When I later tried to find out why breast cancer happens, I realized that there is no single obvious reason: it could be heredity, poor nutrition, poor environment, constant worry, trauma, and a whole bunch of other things. The insidiousness of the disease is that nothing hurts until it reaches a severe stage. The mammologist said that one of the possible reasons for modern women may be a love for bras with wires and pads - they squeeze the breasts every day and little by little, but injure it. The same mammologist advised me to give up deodorants. Have you ever found out what they contain? But all this regularly enters the lymph through the sweat glands and spreads throughout the body. By the way, after the operation I completely gave up deodorants, and now I have no smell at all.” OPERATION. The first time after the diagnosis, Tatyana was severely depressed. She clearly understood that everything could end very sadly. I was saved from the emotional pit by my little son, who had to be raised. On the day of the operation, she was the first patient in the surgical department. As she was being transported on a gurney, the nurses were talking to each other: “How many people are there today? Not enough, 13 in total. Usually there are at least 20.” She had her left mammary gland and all the lymph nodes in the armpit removed, plus an implant was installed. “Usually this procedure is divided into two,” says Tatyana. “We need to remove the tumor, clean everything out, let it go away, and only then place the implant. But it’s cheaper for patients and easier for doctors to do everything at once.” CHEMISTRY. After the operation, “red” chemistry was prescribed. “Everyone is afraid of her, because the condition during the procedure is terrible: nausea, drowsiness, severe malaise - as if he was seriously poisoned,” Tanya recalls. — These months were the most terrible: every 3 weeks the drug is injected, as soon as you come away from one injection, you need to prepare for the next one, and also monitor your hemoglobin and leukocytes. After such chemistry, the hair completely falls out. Like in the movies: he touched his hair and took off a lock. The first course cost me 6,000 UAH. I ordered the drugs through friends from Russia: in Ukraine they are very expensive, even cheaper in Europe.” PSYCHOLOGY AND FAITH. The chemistry continues now: “red” did not give the desired effect, I had to switch to other drugs, which cost almost a thousand dollars per injection. “I hope they will help get rid of metastases. There is no longer any fear - only the fear that chemistry will become a constant companion in life. The most difficult thing in all this is to find the moral and physical strength to fight. I cannot afford to relax: my family should not burden their lives with my illness. But you still need to speak out - it becomes easier. And one more thing: if you don’t believe in yourself, you won’t be cured. Faith in God also gives me strength. This especially helps in those moments when you feel terrible and start to think that maybe you only have a couple of weeks left. I changed my attitude towards everything: I realized that you can’t allow bad thoughts even for a minute and you need to fight, fight, fight!” LIFESTYLE. “After the operation, I decided that it was finally over. But it turned out that this was just the beginning. Regular visits to hospitals and clinics were added to the previous everyday issues. After all the dressings, it is necessary to develop the left side of the body - the axillary sutures do not allow the arm to move as before. By the way, it is not written everywhere that if you have had your breasts and lymph nodes removed, then you cannot give injections on the operated side, pick up heavy objects with it, wear watches, bracelets, rings, or measure pressure and temperature on it. And all patients need to be vigilant, even if they feel well. Six months after the start of the first chemotherapy, metastases were discovered in my kidneys. If I had come in a year, it might have been too late.” Tatyana radically revised her diet. “The oncology center has a rehabilitation room, where there is never a line. But in vain: the doctor in this office told me a lot of useful things, including about food. For example, that every woman, healthy and sick, needs to eat lard every day - at least a piece from a matchbox, porridge with water, garlic. I remember how, on New Year’s Eve, my roommate asked five different surgeons: “Can we have some champagne?” And everyone answered: “Of course! You can have champagne, red wine, or better yet, cognac or vodka!” And when my metastases began in the summer and I began to read special books, I realized that white sugar and bread, pasta and alcohol are the first things that are prohibited for cancer patients! Now I eat jellied meats and cartilage. It’s still disgusting, but it’s necessary! When I see pig ears at the market, I feel bad. And I need to make a couple of pig ears with mustard or horseradish a week the norm. Moreover, the horseradish must be whole, which I must grate myself, and even breathe in. I eat more nuts and fruits, drink vegetable (especially beetroot and carrot) and fruit juices, homemade grape juice to increase hemoglobin. In summer it is very useful to eat berries - raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, wild strawberries. To cleanse the body, you first need to solve the problem with the intestines. Instead of tea, I began to drink decoctions of birch buds, chamomile, linden flowers with honey, and oats. I load up on lard and herring, vegetables and herbs. Bread is only whole grain bread. My morning often starts like this: I drink a glass of freshly squeezed apple-carrot-beetroot juice with a spoonful of olive oil (can be sesame or flax seed), then eat nuts and a banana.” How is Tatiana doing now? She still goes to chemistry, but nevertheless finds strength for both work and rest. Constantly monitors his health and nutrition. She looks great - well-groomed skin, careful makeup, already grown and dyed hair, beautiful clothes and a lot of optimism: even if the disease has not yet been defeated, you constantly need to let it know that you are stronger than it. "BE PROUD OF YOURSELF!" Our second heroine, Lyubov I., also had to go through a cancer nightmare. She was in a major accident 10 years ago and received many injuries and fractures. After discharge, everything seemed to be going well, but trembling in the legs and rapid fatigue forced me to go for examination again. They didn’t show anything until Lyubov herself felt a lump in her left breast. Then a biopsy and a diagnosis of stage 2 breast cancer. The operation was urgent; her breasts and all lymph nodes were removed, all the bones were “cleaned”, and a removable prosthesis was installed. After that - 9 months of chemotherapy and difficult rehabilitation. NEW LIFE. “After chemotherapy, I took pills for another five years after the operation and completely changed my life. I moved to a village with clean air, forests and ponds, although I continue to work. I don’t drink a drop of alcohol, not even beer, sausage is a complete taboo. Of course, I eat rationally and at least three times a day, but no later than 18:00. I grow my own vegetables and fruits, I eat mostly rabbit meat, and I also raise animals myself. I eat a lot of cereals, but I don’t cook the cereals, but soak them overnight - this way the beneficial properties are better preserved. I have eliminated sugar and only occasionally treat myself to cookies. In the evening I eat some soup and once a week I make myself juice from carrots or beets with green apples. In general, I try to drink a lot, I make compotes from dried fruits and jelly. I had to forget about the tan, but I walk a lot and swim in the river every summer. I also try not to overwork and not take problems to heart. But the most important thing during treatment is not to focus on the fact that you have cancer. My husband and going to church helped me a lot in overcoming the illness - they instilled faith and hope in me and strengthened my willpower. Loving yourself when you are sick is difficult, but it is necessary! Now I really like myself - I help an orphanage, I am the chairman of the board of trustees in a shelter for minors. They know me, they love me and respect me, although only those closest to me and my immediate superior know about the disease. There are no cancer cells in me anymore. I stopped taking the pills two years ago, in June 2012 I was removed from the register at the oncology hospital, now I see my therapist: once a quarter I take tests, including for the presence of cancer cells and the level of leukocytes in the blood, I do an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, and twice a year - X-ray of the lungs.” If you find an error in the text, select it with the mouse and press Ctrl+Enter Author: Polina Dorozhkina
Each case is unique
One of the recent achievements is the discovery of the role of genes in the development of cancer. Thus, it is known that the mutation of the BRCAS1 and 2 genes (which are called the Angelina Jolie genome) greatly increases the risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. If in the general population such a risk in a woman is 12–13% and 1–2%, respectively, then the presence of such a mutation increases these risks to 35–80% and 40–60%. Therefore, women with such mutations need to be more attentive to their health and undergo diagnostics more often than others.
Molecular genetic research methods are revealing more and more new subtypes of the malignant process. It is not for nothing that oncologists today say that cancer of even the same organ is not one, but many different diseases. Therefore, the choice of treatment (as well as prognosis) for cancer is based not only on the stage, but on the type of tumor (which is determined by immunohistochemical analysis). The identification of receptors to which the tumor is sensitive has made it possible to carry out targeted therapy (from the word “target”). With this treatment, drugs act specifically on the tumor, affecting less healthy cells. All this increases the effectiveness of treatment and reduces side effects.
Despite the fact that the traditional triad (surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy) is still relevant, there is evidence that some types of tumor can already be completely cured only with chemotherapy, without surgery. And although this is still the exception rather than the rule, it nevertheless inspires optimism. Modern chemotherapy is also not what it used to be. She uses a large number of active drugs, because each cancer has its own medicine. In addition, thanks to effective modern antiemetic drugs, this treatment is much better tolerated by patients. The area of preoperative chemotherapy is actively developing. Increases the effectiveness of “chemistry” and its combination with new drugs. Today, women with breast cancer are prescribed hormones for 5 years - this reduces the risk of relapse. Oncologists have great hopes for the actively developing area of immunotherapy. This method assumes an active role in the fight against cancer by the patient's own immune system.
Never give up! How to recover from breast cancer Read more
Why you can't "beat" breast cancer
Angelina Jolie is one of the few stars who are sure that cancer cannot be beneficial
As October marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month around the world, get ready for charity events and frequent reminders to get your mammogram. And, of course, to the traditional stories of the stars who defeated him. You read them in a summary by journalists, and it turns out that cancer is not a serious disease, but an action-packed adventure that is sure to end well. “After the illness, I became even more feminine,” singer Anastacia confesses. “My illness is the best thing that ever happened to me,” echoes Sharon Osbourne. They all beat breast cancer and are not at all afraid of it. Only Angelina Jolie got scared, so much so that she herself wrote a long boring column in The New York Times and preventively removed both breasts and ovaries, for which she was rinsed for a long time by supporters of conventional femininity (“oh, how can you do that - cut off a healthy breast !").
Every time journalists write that Sharyl Crow “conquered breast cancer six months after making an ominous diagnosis,” somewhere in the corridors of the oncology center on Kashirka a woman despairs. Because in reality, six months from the moment of diagnosis is not a reason for a glass of champagne, but for a visit to the doctor: it’s time to evaluate the effectiveness of the chosen treatment tactics. And, if necessary, take another course of therapy.
Since 1985, when the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca held the first “month of the fight against breast cancer,” the attitude towards the problem has been unequivocal: they say that this is a disease, albeit dangerous, that with early diagnosis can be easily treated, like a bad tooth. Pull it out, that is, cut it out - and there is no problem. And then they will return to work with a snow-white smile just a couple of months after the operation. The concept of "early diagnosis - surgery - [radiation therapy] - complete cure" was in use until about 1998. And it was first formed at the end of the 19th century at the instigation of the brilliant surgeon and morphine addict William Halstead. Whose figure, by the way, served as the prototype for the hero Clive Owen in the TV series “Knickerbocker Hospital”. William Halstead was the first to develop a protocol for the extensive surgery to remove the breast and the muscles underneath it, familiar to modern doctors as the “Halstead mastectomy.” This operation is not honored by either doctors or patients, because while preserving life, it noticeably worsens its quality. But until the middle of the 20th century, radical mastectomy was a universal and almost uncontested method of treating breast cancer - effective, however, only with a timely diagnosis.
Because of the traditional primacy of surgery in the treatment of breast cancer, early diagnosis has become the alpha and omega of public campaigns to reduce mortality from this disease. Philips, Avon, Kylie Minogue, and women's magazines remind us of her. Its importance cannot be denied, but sometimes, wanting to encourage women, stars and journalists go too far and turn treatment into an attraction: “I saw it, I did it, I won.” At the same time, modern views on the development of breast cancer admit that in some cases, early diagnosis affects the success of its treatment in the same way as grandmother’s conspiracies - that is, not at all.
Since about 1998, the views of American oncologist Bernard Fisher have been popular in medical circles, who found that sometimes cancer cells spread throughout the body much earlier than a tumor visible to the patient and doctor appears. Therefore, breast cancer must be treated as a systemic disease and treated throughout the body, and not just in the breast. And perhaps for the rest of my life. This can only be done with the help of chemotherapy - which is often not part of the plans of women accustomed to the idea that cancer can simply be cut out.
Despite its proven effectiveness, chemotherapy is a horror story for cancer patients. And not without reason: chemotherapy makes them go bald, chemotherapy makes them fat, chemotherapy makes them sick and it’s impossible to live, in the end (yes, sometimes it seems that it’s easier for women to suffer and suffer than to watch the metamorphoses of their body in the mirror). In general, you can reluctantly agree to chemotherapy the first time, but if something goes wrong, it is difficult to force yourself to undergo it again. And “something goes wrong” quite often - according to statistics, 25% of women operated on at the first stage develop metastases in the bones or lungs within 10 years. In general, breast cancer treatment is more like a war than an adventure, from which women emerge “more mature” and “more feminine”, like Anastasia. Multiply this by the fact that the peak incidence of cancer occurs after the age of forty, when there are enough diseases without it, add that about 40% of Russian women find out that they have breast cancer at stages III-IV - and stories that the disease you can easily win in a few months or even a year will seem like hypocritical fairy tales.
Every time in October journalists write that Sharyl Crow “conquered cancer six months after diagnosis,” a woman despairs in the corridors of the oncology center on Kashirka. Because when there is at least a year of painful treatment ahead, it is impossible to read about other people’s easy victories and not despair. Because our victory is only final, like the defeat of Nazi Germany, and for some reason doctors talk about the risk of relapse and delicately hint that you may have to be treated for the rest of your life. Because it’s cruel to talk about lottery winners as if everyone gets a lucky ticket. Let's take this year to remind the hopeless that life is worth fighting for. That unpleasant visits to the doctor help to notice the disease or its relapse in time. That every intolerable drip adds time with family. And that if you have not yet succeeded in defeating the disease, this is not a reason to give up.
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Control shot
New opportunities have also appeared in radiation therapy, which uses ionizing (radioactive) radiation. The method can be used after breast surgery and/or subsequent chemotherapy to completely destroy any cancer cells that may remain in the breast, chest wall or armpit area. But sometimes radiation therapy is performed before surgery to reduce the tumor.
The most common treatment for breast cancer is external radiation, which is similar to a regular X-ray but takes a little longer (a session lasts 10 to 20 minutes). Treatment usually takes place 5 days a week (except weekends) for 6–7 weeks. The accelerated irradiation technique, which is actively used in Canada and the UK, also appeared in Russia. During daily sessions, the patient receives a higher dose of radiation, but the entire course is completed in 4 weeks.
There is another method of radiological treatment - intraoperative radiation therapy, in which one large dose of radiation is given directly in the operating room during a lumpectomy (surgery to remove part of the breast). This increases the effectiveness of treatment, reducing the risk of relapse.
Question answer
How can women avoid hereditary cancer?
Brave Warriors: Celebrities Who Beat Breast Cancer
Imagine being told that you only have 8 months to live, what will be your reaction?
It sounds like a drama script, but in this article we will look at real female celebrities who did not become discouraged and won the battle against breast cancer.
Koh Chien Mun
Since becoming a spokesperson for an early breast screening organization, Chien Moon has actively practiced what she preaches by performing the necessary procedures at home. So, in 2005, she discovered a suspicious lump in her breast and urgently went for a biopsy. She was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer.
But this was not the only bad news; a tumor was later discovered on one of the kidneys. Fortunately, both were removed during an 8-hour operation, after which Chien Moon began six months of chemotherapy.
After 12 years of various medical procedures, 57-year-old Chien Moon returned to the entertainment industry with shows and dramas.
Pan Ling Ling
One of the most famous cancer warriors in Singapore. The 47-year-old actress was in the middle of a charity golf tournament when she learned of the devastating diagnosis. Without missing a beat, Ling Ling received surgery to remove the tumor within just a few days, and then spent months undergoing chemotherapy.
Instead of sad memories, Lin Lin recalls her struggle with a smile: “To some extent, this disease was even good,” because cancer helped her look at everything from a different perspective, especially at her family: her husband and two sons.
Lum May Yee
The former model-actress, who started her own jewelry business, discovered a terrible lump in her breast two years ago. At that time, she was just finishing breastfeeding and had long suspected that it was just milk stagnation, but the truth turned out to be much worse - stage 2 cancer. She had to go through “cruel” chemotherapy, the effects of which she still feels to this day.
Thanks to the support of her family, Mei Yi overcame this difficult struggle - at the insistence of the doctor, in order to reduce the relapse, she even had to remove her uterus and ovaries a couple of months ago.
Mei Yi, like Lin Lin, thanks her illness for being able to rethink her life. She especially reconsidered her views regarding the family - now she does not think this is something “for granted.”
Frances Yip
Cantopop veteran Frances Yip, who has always maintained a healthy lifestyle, received sad news 20 years ago. Fortunately, she immediately removed the malignant tumor in the breast.
Her immediate reaction allowed her to refuse chemotherapy, but she still had to undergo radiation. It would seem that the disease should have upset her or even destroyed her, but Frances quickly came to her senses both emotionally and physically. It also helped her reconsider her priorities.
The 70-year-old Hong Kong diva still gives concerts - the last one was last year on Valentine's Day.
Mandi Lam
One night in 2010, the TVB actress went to sleep when she suddenly felt a strange lump in her chest. Wasting no time, Mandi went to the hospital, where she was diagnosed with stage 2 cancer.
During chemotherapy and other procedures, Mandi's hair fell out, her nails turned gray, and she also experienced water retention in her body. But the actress did not lose heart, even arranging a “bald” photo shoot.
Seven years later, the 41-year-old cancer-free actress lives happily in her marriage and continues to build her career. However, the couple decided to give up trying to have a child for the sake of health.
Om En Ran
Do you all remember how last year the cast of SNL Korea mentioned veteran actor Uhm En Ran on air, making fun of her breast cancer? After their public apology, she not only forgave them, but also commented favorably: "Why take disciplinary action against a comedy program?"
Despite her condition, the 81-year-old actress participated in the filming of various shows until the operation.
Lisa Wang
Like Chien Moon, Lisa had to deal with two diagnoses at once - breast and thyroid cancer. She found out about this back in 2002, and immediately went for surgery to stop the problem at an early stage.
Thanks to the quick response and surgery, Lisa recovered without chemotherapy. The 70-year-old actress is now an executive committee member of the Hong Kong Cancer Organization, helping to raise awareness and funding for cancer patients.
All these women, having won their difficult battles, are wonderful examples for desperate cancer patients.
