Breast Cancer Survivors Urge Middle Eastern Women to Get Early Screenings

DUBAI: Breast cancer is the most common form of disease diagnosed in women throughout the world. If caught early, the prognosis for survival is reassuringly high. But lack of awareness, common myths, and fear of bad news cause too many women to delay review.

In Arab countries, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed form of the disease. A recent study found that between 17.7 and 19 percent of all new cancer cases in the region in 2018 were diagnoses of breast cancer.

That’s why every October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when experts gather to discuss the latest treatments, charities raise awareness, and private clinics offer special discounts on tests and screenings.

Cancer survivors are frequently asked to share their experiences, whether in small private groups or large public gatherings, and the distinctive pink ribbon synonymous with the cause is proliferating on blouses and lapels around the world.

While pandemic restrictions have forced many events online, this year has been no exception. And the message is getting through. Oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, and other physicians in the field are often fully busy at this time of year.

“I think the essence is trying to get everyone to refocus,” Dr. Millicent Alache Bello, a renowned breast surgeon at King’s College Hospital in Dubai, told Arab News.

“It is important throughout the year that breast education and awareness continue. However, a specific month for people to reorient themselves and take stock is vital. “

Women are advised to start having annual mammograms starting at age 40, when the chance of developing breast cancer increases.

“In this part of the world, screening is not something that is done at the national level. Screening is done ad hoc, which means that people go when they want to, ”said Bello.

In the UK, general practitioners working for the taxpayer-funded National Health Service keep detailed medical records on each patient and remind them when to get screened. This is not the case in Arab countries, where health services are based on insurance.

King’s College Hospital in Dubai wants to emulate the British system and begin to remind its patients when to get a checkup. It has already started collecting patient data and will soon offer mammograms at a cost of AED 350 ($ 95).

Routine checkups and timely evaluations pay off. “The point at which a woman feels a lump in her breast is not the point at which breast cancer started,” Bello warned. “Sometimes it started before that period, up to 12, 14 or 24 months before.”

This is why it’s so important to get regular screenings before signs of trouble appear.

Catherine, a British cancer survivor in her 40s, says she used to be disciplined with her screening appointments, often getting tested twice a year. But after having children, she began to neglect her checks. It was during this six-year window that she developed a lump.

“I was so busy being a mother that I forgot myself,” Catherine told Arab News. When the tumor was diagnosed, the tumor in one of her breasts was already three inches in diameter.

After a double mastectomy, the pathology report showed that her other breast also contained three cancerous lumps. “I was very pragmatic about it. I didn’t feel this massive emotional connection to my breasts. If they try to kill me, they have to go, ”he said.

Women shouldn’t make the same mistake and neglect their health, he says, even as other pressures in life take over. Catherine now dedicates her time to charity work during Breast Cancer Awareness Month to raise funds and awareness.

Joining her is Ghozlan, an Arab woman and fellow survivor, who says she discovered a lump on her chest while exercising. He traveled to Europe for treatment and opted for reconstruction.

“I am a woman who cares about her femininity and I cannot live without it,” Ghozlan told Arab News, describing her breast implant, which must be replaced every 10 years. “It was not what I expected. It wasn’t a great result, but it’s better than nothing. I’ve been through hell and now I accept what I have. I’m living with it, but I have some side effects from the implant. “

Ghozlan is now anxiously awaiting his next checkup with his doctor in Europe, which had to be delayed due to coronavirus travel restrictions.

Another woman raising money for Breast Cancer Awareness Month is Gina, a 58-year-old woman who, like Catherine, underwent a double mastectomy. Unlike Ghozlan, he was unable to undergo reconstructive surgery.

“Due to my autoimmune disease, the chances that my body would reject the prosthesis were very high,” said Gina. “It was not my voluntary choice. It was a shock to me. I must admit that even today, after five years, I have not accepted this situation 100 percent. “

Gina has since quit her job to fully commit to charity work.

With the evolution of technology and other scientific advances, doctors are getting even better at detecting potential problems, faster and more accurately.

Triple screening (clinical examination, imaging, and biopsy) has changed little in recent years, but equipment that offers more sensitive scans has developed by leaps and bounds, while surgical techniques have become more refined.

“It is oncology, the medicine that we give for hemotherapy and endocrine treatments; They have come by leaps and bounds, which is fantastic news, ”Bello said.

Scientists have come to understand that treatment plans are not always the same for all breast cancer patients and that the most effective surgeries and therapies are unique to each individual.

“No two women have the same breast cancer,” Bello said. “Every woman’s cancer is different because the genetic makeup is different. That’s why people are getting better now, because treatment is individually tailored. “

But this can also mean that reconstructive surgery is not an option for everyone and depends on the body type, the extent of the cancer, the patient’s medical history, and personal preferences.

“Reconstruction is designed to improve your well-being; it’s not supposed to interfere with cancer treatment, ”Bello said.

High-income countries in Europe and North America appear to have much higher rates of breast cancer, largely because screening and early detection are so common. With more limited testing capacity, the Arab world appears to have a lower case rate, but also a high death rate.

A retrospective epidemiological study conducted in 2012 found that breast cancer was the leading cause of death among Saudi women.

However, an article published in 2018 by the Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health said: “Although the incidence of breast cancer in Arab countries is increasing, it is still lower than the world average and only a fifth of that of Western Europe. “.

But now is not a time for complacency. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a reminder for all women to monitor themselves and for governments to invest in vital clinics and research.

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Twitter: @jumanaaltamimi