As Breast Cancer Awareness Month continues here in the UAE and around the world, more and more Filipinos have increasingly become aware of the signs and symptoms for the incurable diseases.
Dr. Balaji Balasubramaniam Consultant Surgical Oncologist at NMC Hospital in Abu Dhabi shares that awareness drives are important to make sure that the patient feels that they’re not alone in the process.
“The hardest part is the second visit when we break the news of cancer by biopsy and suggest further work up to the stage of the disease. Most of the time, many feel that they are alone. Out job is to reassure and emphatize with them,” said Dr. Balasubramaniam
Women are advised to check for the following signs ahead of time to make sure they’re safe.
– Lumps, thickening, or hard knots inside the breast or underarm
– Swelling, redness, warmth, or darkening of the breast
– Pain in a specific spot that doesn’t go away
– Itchy sore or rash on the nipple
– Sudden nipple discharge
– Change in shape/size of the breast
– Visual change of nipple/other parts of the breast as it pulls in
How to do a breast examination by yourself?
– The National Breast Cancer Foundation suggests the following steps to do an initial exam on your own.
– In the shower, move your fingers in a circular pattern from outside to the center of your breast to scan for any lumps.
– Face the mirror and locate any swelling, dimpling, of the skin near the breast and the nipples.
– Lying down, check for nipple discharge and lumps with light, medium and firm pressure.
– In case of any lumps, sudden nipple discharge or unusual sights on your breast, have it checked immediately by a medical expert.
Numbers crunched
Dr. Mohannad Diab, HOD and Consultant Medical Oncologist at NMC in Abu Dhabi, shares that the median age where most people begin experiencing cancer is around 45-50. He furthers that several risk factors contribute to the risk as well during their younger years.
“In the UAE, age risk of those who are diagnosed with breast cancer is more spread below 45. Breast cancer is idiopathic – there’s no known reason. 15% of cases are hereditary. Known risk factors for cancer include obesity, genetic factors, previous cancer cases in family history, and smoking,” shares Dr. Diab.
Here are the rest of the numbers and information you should note:
25-30 – number of Filipinas diagnosed of breast cancer per month in UAE
50 – number of Filipina breast cancer patients to be treated in 2019
4 – patients per month to become breast cancer survivors
3 out of 100 – Prevalence of breast cancer among Filipino women as per Philippine Obstetrics and Gynecological Society
20-25 kg – Additional weight gain that can contribute to the increased risk of developing breast cancer
50 – Age among women when breast cancer mostly occurs
Risk Factors:
– Genetics
– Sedentary Lifestyle
– Smoking
– Late Menopause
– Late Pregnancy
What can you do:
– Healthy Diet
– Exercise
– Regular screening
– Active lifestyle
– Avoid Stress
