A 52-year-old former schoolteacher and a mother of two children was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer 10 years ago. Her latest scan shows no evidence of active cancer. Stage 4 cancer is considered incurable and a one-way-ticket but the case of Ruchi Dhawan gives new hope to breast cancer patients struggling with the terminal stage of the dreaded disease.
The former schoolteacher, a resident of Noida, was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer—metastatic carcinoma of the right breast—in October 2010. Her cancer had already spread from the breast to the rest of the body by the time she decided to seek treatment.
Not many doctors thought she would survive beyond a couple of months. But today, ten years later, Ruchi is living a full life managing household chores during the lockdown independently and running three YouTube channels on music and cookery, with a help of oncologists at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj.
Since surgery was out of the question at such an advanced stage of cancer when she first presented herself at the hospital, doctors put her on multiple lines of therapy including chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and targeted therapy administered at varying times depending on the progression of the disease. Though Ruchi’s cancer relapsed twice, in 2014 and 2019, the disease has been well controlled over the years. The latest scan done in August 2020 showed cancer in remission, with no evidence of active cancer.
Said Dr Meenu Walia, director, Medical Oncology, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj and Vaishali, who has been treating the patient from the beginning: “Ruchi was diagnosed at the last stage of breast cancer when she came to our hospital for a check-up. The cancer originated at her right breast and spread to nearby areas. Surgery was not possible as the disease was in stage 4, so we took recourse to a combination of therapies. If one proved less effective, we started another. The approach worked. It has been 10 years now since the initial diagnosis but her cancer is in remission. She maintains a good quality of life, continues to teach, does all her household work and maintains a positive, happy personality. This case shows that with the onset of newer techniques and the right choice of therapies, cancer can be tackled even at advanced stages. However, it is always recommended to get oneself screened time-to-time to detect this disease early.”
Ruchi said, “My mother, maternal aunt and cousin too had breast cancer, while father suffered from prostate cancer. In the beginning of 2010, I felt a lump in my right breast but delayed going to the doctor due to job pressure and taking care of two young sons. By the time I went for a medical check-up, nine months had elapsed. It was like a bombshell when the doctors ran a scan and told me I was suffering from the last stage of breast cancer, which had also spread to the rest of the body.”
She added, “I broke down and was hysterical. It was very hard to break the news to my children that their mother may not survive for long. However, my family stood rock solid beside me throughout my treatment. I had full faith in Dr Meenu and her line of treatment. This gave me the will power to fight the disease with immense grit and determination. There was a recurrence of cancer in 2014 and 2019 in my spine but nothing in the breast or armpit.”
Ruchi is happy to defeat this dreaded disease, even though it may bounce back any time in future. She continued, “My husband fully supports me and accompanies me to all my doctor visits. With no maid in the house due to the pandemic, I am currently doing all household chores without any problem. I was never made to feel like a patient. My latest scan shows no evidence of active cancer. It is like being gifted a second life.”
Dr Meenu Walia added, “Many cases of breast cancers diagnosed in India are detected at stage 4, which is considered the last stage of the disease. At this stage, cancer has already spread in the body and not limited to the site of origin. The five-year survival rate for stage 4 breast cancer patients is very dismal. At this stage, the intent of treatment is palliative and not curative. However, prevention is always better than cure. My advice for women is to be body aware, do self-examination regularly, get screened and follow a healthy lifestyle.” Doctors emphasise that self-breast examination and regular mammography after the age of 40 can help diagnose breast cancer at an early stage thereby increasing longevity post-treatment.
