Risk Of Breast Cancer Increases With Growing Age: Doctor Indicates
Sumaira FH Published April 24, 2018 | 04:07 PM
Awareness, early diagnosis, timely proper treatment and supportive social attitudes are major areas to be covered to minimize risk of Breast cancer- the most common and second leading cause of death in women,
HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Apr, 2018 ) :Awareness, early diagnosis, timely proper treatment and supportive social attitudes are major areas to be covered to minimize risk of Breast cancer- the most common and second leading cause of death in women, said Dr.
Naeem Laghari. Dr. Laghari who is former director of Nuclear Institute of Medical Radiology (NIMRA) Jamshoro, stressed upon motivating women by telling them about the factors that influence risk for breast cancer as most women could survive the cancer if it was found and treated on time.
Talking to APP here on Tuesday he maintained that it can only be possible, if women start believing on the screening test for breast cancer as Mammogram -the screening test for breast cancer- can help finding breast cancer early when it's easier to treat.
Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy among women in the country that constitutes 25 percent of all cancers while every eighth woman has a lifetime risk of developing invasive breast cancer, Dr.
Laghari said adding that a significant percentage of patients with ovarian carcinoma gave a history of breast cancer. Unfortunately, a majority of cases in the country are diagnosed late because of a lack of awareness and cultural taboos that drive women to keep the disease a secret, he said suggesting that Pakistani women can be empowered to control their health issues if they receive timely support, but unfortunately there is no awareness at family or community level in rural areas.
If a woman is diagnosed with cancer, she not only has to fight against cancer but also against social attitudes around it let alone seeking psychological support on trauma of losing one or both breasts, Dr.
Naeem said. Age is a critical factor, though Breast cancer may occur at any age, risk of breast cancer increases with age. The average woman at the age of 30 has one chance in 280 of developing breast cancer in the next 10 years.
This chance increases to one in 70 for a woman-aged 40 years, and to one in 40 at age 50 years.
A 60-year-old woman has a one in 30 chance of developing breast cancer in the next 10 years, he stated.
He said that a woman with a personal history of cancer in one breast has a three to fourfold greater risk of developing a new cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast. This refers to the risk for developing a new tumor and not a recurrence (return) of the first cancer, he explained.
He informed that breast cancer seems to occur more frequently in countries with high dietary intake of fat, and being overweight or obese is a known risk factor for breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women.
Dr. Naeem Leghari disclosed that the use of alcohol is also an established risk factor for the development of breast cancer. The risk increases with the amount of alcohol consumed. About the symptoms he said that breast cancer has no symptoms.
It is usually not painful. Most breast cancer is discovered before symptoms are present, either by finding an abnormality on a mammography or feeling a breast lump. A lump in the armpit or above the collarbone that does not go away may be a sign of cancer.
Other possible symptoms are breast discharge, or changes in the skin overlying the breast, added. About the biopsy he said that the only way to diagnose breast cancer with certainty is to biopsy of the tissue in question.
Biopsy means to take a very small piece of tissue from the body for examination and testing by a pathologist to determine if cancer is present. A number of biopsy techniques are available. Side effects of chemotherapy are well known and they depend on drugs used, he said and added that such side effects include loss of hair, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, and low blood cell counts.
Low blood counts may cause patients to be more susceptible to infections, to feel sick and tired, or to bleed more easily than usual. Medications are available to treat or prevent many of these side effects, Naeem said.
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