Pankaj Bhadouria, celebrity chef and MasterChef India Season 1 winner, has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She shared the news of her cancer diagnosis on social media on Thursday, May 28, and asked for prayers and support.
Chef Pankaj Bhadouria gets diagnosed with breast cancer: Self-examinaion and routine check-ups
Chef Pankaj, known for her easy recipes and kitchen hack videos on social media and YouTube, took to her Instagram account to share a picture from her hospital bed, while revealing the diagnosis with her followers. Sharing the pic, she gave an emotional update in the caption, “I have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Need your prayers and support.”
Just a week before, the chef posted that she had gone for a preventive, full body routine check-up, and asked people above 45, or who have parents above 45 to make annual routine check-ups mandatory.
But not just 45, even younger people can get diagnosed with breast cancer, and doctors say that the preliminary tests start at home with a few very simple steps. All you need to look for is a lump, swelling, discolouration or distortion of the shape and size which you may not have noticed before.
You need to perform this in a well-lit room with a clean mirror.
Arms by your sides: Stand straight and observe your breasts for any changes in size, shape, color, or symmetry.
Hands on your hips: Press your hands firmly onto your hips to flex your chest muscles and check for any puckering, dimpling, or bulging.
Arms raised: Raise your arms above your head and look for similar abnormalities.
Inspect the nipples: Check if your nipples are pointing inward (inverted) or if there is any unusual soreness, fluid discharge or redness.
The best time to do this is a few days after your menstrual period ends, when breasts are least tender.
In the shower: Use the slippery, soapy surface of your skin to glide your fingers smoothly over the breast tissue.
Lying down: Lie on your back with a pillow or folded towel under your shoulder. This flattens the breast tissue, making it easier to feel.
Use your finger pads: Use the pads (not the tips) of your three middle fingers.
Use varied pressure: Use light, medium, and firm pressure to feel all the way down to the chest wall.
Move in a pattern: Move your fingers in small, overlapping circles (about the size of a coin) using a grid pattern, moving up and down or in circles from the collarbone to the top of the stomach, and from the armpit to the cleavage.
Check the armpits: Breast tissue extends up to your armpit. Be sure to check this area thoroughly.
While natural breast tissue can feel bumpy or lumpy, you should contact your healthcare provider if you notice: A new, hard lump or thickening in the breast or underarm; skin dimpling, puckering, or a texture resembling an orange peel; nipple discharge (other than breast milk), especially if it is bloody or clear; a sudden change in the size or shape of one breast; redness, warmth, or persistent scaling of the breast skin.
Can men also get breast cancer?
Unfortunately yes. Men too can get brest cancer. Although rare, accounting for about just 1 in every 100 breast cancer diagnoses, men do have breast tissue that can become cancerous. It is most commonly diagnosed in men in their 60s and 70s. Elderly men should look for visual signs, as mentioned above, and seek a professional if they feel something is off, even a tiny umb near their armpits. And because men do not routinely get checked for breast cancer, it is often diagnosed at a later stage.
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