

Zhang Chao Jie

About me
Chief physician, professor, master's supervisor. Editorial board member of Medical and Philosophical Journals, Editor-in-Chief of roundtable conference columns. One of the first backbone medical talents in the "225 Project" of Hunan Health and Family Planning Commission. Member of the Breast Disease Professional Committee of the China Medical Education Association. Member of the Youth Committee of the Thyroid Surgery Physicians Committee of the Surgery Branch of the Chinese Medical Association. Deputy director and member of multiple professional committees of the Hunan Anti-Cancer Association. Executive member of the Perioperative Medical Management Committee of the Hunan Health Management Society. Member of the Obstetrics and Gynecology and Breast Tumor Prevention and Treatment Professional Committee of the Hunan Maternal and Child Health Care and Eugenics Association. Engaged in general surgery clinical work for 20 years, with rich experience in diagnosis and treatment of general surgical diseases. Particularly skilled in the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant diseases such as breast and thyroid diseases. For the past 15 years, dedicated to research on early diagnosis of breast cancer and thyroid cancer and comprehensive treatment with a focus on surgery, accumulating extensive clinical experience in surgical treatment of diseases such as granulomatous mastitis, plasma cell mastitis, congenital inverted nipple, and male breast development. Pioneered the use of nanocarbon in preoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy in thyroid surgery, non-lactational mastitis surgical treatments, and non-surgical treatment of congenital inverted nipple using wire suture traction (this technique maximizes breastfeeding function). Also, pioneering minimally invasive treatments for male breast development among other advanced techniques in the field, extensively praised by patients both within and outside the province for their efficacy. Throughout medical practice, adheres to the basic principle of "evidence-based medicine guiding clinical work, but emphasizing individualized diagnosis and treatment principles" as a core belief. Published over 50 academic papers and contributed to 2 professional books. Several papers have won second and third prizes at national conferences and provincial medical associations. Awarded the Renji Science and Technology Progress Award second prize once. Principal investigator and participant in 15 research projects at various levels, including one Renji key project. Received the Third-Class Merit twice, as well as titles such as one of the Top Ten Health and Hygiene Workers, Top Ten Models of Medical Ethics, Model Worker, Dedicated Professional, Outstanding Communist Party Member, and Outstanding Teacher at Hunan People's Hospital.
Proficient in diseases
Specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant diseases such as breast and thyroid.

Voices

Symptoms of breast cancer recurrence
The symptoms of recurrent breast cancer are related to the location and form of recurrence. For example, if breast cancer recurs at the chest wound site, the symptoms typically manifest as local lumps or localized ulcers, erosion, and bleeding. If the recurrence is in the lungs, liver, or brain, it usually appears in the form of tumors. Early lung tumors do not show symptoms, but if it invades the pleura and causes pleural effusion, it can lead to shortness of breath or chest pain. If a tumor grows too large on the liver, it can cause abdominal pain or symptoms like loss of appetite, unwillingness to eat, and other complications associated with liver diseases. If it metastasizes to the head, symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and a feeling of pressure in the eyes may occur. If it spreads to the bones, it can cause pain in the affected bone or fractures.

Which department should I go to for acute mastitis?
For acute mastitis, one should first consult the Department of Mammary Surgery or Thyro-Mammary Surgery. When some hospitals lack a specialized breast surgery department, patients typically consult the general surgery department or gynecology department. If it is during the night or none of the specialized departments are available, then the emergency surgery department should be consulted. Thus, there are multiple relevant departments for acute mastitis. In larger hospitals with specialized departments, one can directly consult the Department of Mammary Surgery or Thyro-Mammary Surgery. During off-hours, nights, weekends, or other emergency periods, it is appropriate to consult the emergency surgery department.

What should not be eaten with breast cancer?
There are specific considerations regarding foods that should be avoided for breast cancer patients. Foods, medications, or health supplements containing sex hormones are absolutely prohibited. The most common source of sex hormones in food is the use of placenta for nourishment, which is a common practice among the Chinese populace but is strictly forbidden in this case. Medications typically involve contraceptives, so it is crucial, especially in younger breast cancer patients, to consider non-medication-based contraception and avoid unplanned pregnancies — these are absolute taboos. Additionally, foods low in fats and cholesterol are not entirely prohibited but should be consumed in moderation.

Acute mastitis infusion for several days
Acute mastitis usually does not require intravenous fluids unless there is an accompanying fever, a significant increase in white blood cells, and obvious local redness, swelling, and pain in the breast. At this time, intravenous antibiotic therapy can be considered, generally for five to seven days, but once the white blood cells normalize and the local acute swelling subsides, consideration can be given to stopping the treatment. Of course, when acute mastitis is complicated by an abscess, the abscess requires separate treatment, usually by a specialist making a small incision or using a thick syringe needle to repeatedly aspirate the pus; the best method is certainly to aspirate the pus through a small incision. In such cases, the duration of intravenous fluid use may be appropriately increased.

How is breast cancer treated?
The treatment of adenocarcinoma is a systematically planned treatment, involving five major types of treatments in the field of Western medicine. The first is surgical treatment, the second is chemotherapy, the third is endocrine therapy, the fourth is biological targeted therapy, often referred to as targeted therapy, and the fifth is radiation therapy, commonly known as radiotherapy. These are the five major treatments in Western medicine. However, not every patient with breast disease will need all five treatments; it depends on their specific conditions. Additionally, there are treatments from Chinese medicine, which primarily serve as supportive care. Of course, there is also psychological support therapy from a psychological perspective, which is part of this so-called systematic treatment.

Can breast cancer be cured?
Breast cancer is one of the few curable solid malignant tumors; a solid tumor refers to one that forms a mass or has a tangible tumor body. However, the prerequisite is that the breast cancer must be in its early stages, as advanced breast cancer is currently difficult to cure, and not all early-stage breast cancers can be cured. With standardized systematic treatment in modern medicine, about 60% to 70% of early-stage breast cancers can be completely cured. However, 30% to 40% of early-stage breast cancers still develop into advanced-stage breast cancer. This is one of the reasons why long-term monitoring, close follow-up, and regular re-examinations are necessary for breast cancer management later on.

What medication is used for acute mastitis?
Acute mastitis typically requires three types of medications: topical medications, oral medications, and intravenous medications. Topical medications, also known as local medications, are mainly used to reduce swelling, such as 33% to 50% magnesium sulfate or traditional Chinese medicine topical applications made in Chinese medicine hospitals. Oral medications generally consist primarily of antibiotics, focusing on cephalosporins and erythromycin. Intravenous medications are used when acute mastitis is more severe and oral antibiotics are ineffective, requiring intravenous antibiotic infusions. It is crucial not to purchase medications arbitrarily at pharmacies but to follow the recommendations of a doctor.

Does breast cancer require chemotherapy?
Not all breast cancer requires chemotherapy, which is just one method in the comprehensive treatment of breast cancer. Comprehensive treatment for breast cancer includes surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endocrine therapy, biological targeted therapy, and also traditional Chinese medicine treatment. Chemotherapy, in particular, can be described as a double-edged sword that kills both cancerous and normal cells. If the breast cancer is in an early stage, especially if the genetic typing is favorable, there might be an opportunity to forego chemotherapy. However, unfortunately, as of now, a significant portion of breast cancer cases still require chemotherapy. Therefore, it is necessary to communicate with professional doctors and analyze each specific case individually; one cannot generalize the treatment.

Does early-stage breast cancer hurt?
Early-stage breast cancer almost has no symptoms, and over 90% of breast cancer cases do not involve pain symptoms, especially in the early stages. This means that only early-stage breast cancer combined with breast hyperplasia-like diseases might involve pain. Generally speaking, early-stage breast cancer has no pain symptoms, and one might not feel anything abnormal. It is only during a health checkup that breast cancer can be detected by a breast specialist through palpation or imaging techniques such as color Doppler ultrasound or mammography without the patient feeling any symptoms. Pain may occur only if there is early-stage breast cancer combined with hyperplasia, or if the breast has been injured.

Breast cancer surgical methods
There are many surgical methods for breast cancer, but specifically, they are related to the stage of the disease. Generally speaking, the surgical methods for breast cancer include the following types: The first type is the modified radical mastectomy, which is the most traditional and has the broadest scope of excision. This often involves the complete removal of the breast, and the axilla may be cleared, or a sentinel lymph node biopsy may be performed instead, which is a possibility. The second type of breast cancer surgery is the best, used for early-stage breast cancer, which can preserve the breast, known as breast-conserving surgery. The third method of surgery involves removing all the glandular tissue inside the breast while preserving the skin, nipple, and areola complex, and then reconstructing the breast by placing an implant.