DOHA: A total of 200 breast cancer cases were diagnosed in Qatar and the majority were at an early stage and cured.
Health experts encourage women to avoid the fear of a diagnosis of breast cancer, as most are curable unlike in the old days.
Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) last week hosted an oncology course with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), American University of Beirut, and Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar.
One of the lecturers, Dr Clifford Hudis, Chief, Breast Medicine Service, MSKCC and immediate past-president of American Society of Clinical Oncology, praised awareness efforts in Qatar and joined HMC in encouraging women to be more breast-aware.
He urged women not to be afraid to seek prompt medical attention if they notice any changes in their breasts.
“Early detection is associated with improved outcomes. If a woman notices a change in her breasts, she should bring it to the attention of her doctor and not be afraid. She should also be sure to undergo mammography at regular intervals, depending on her age. We recommend once a year, in accordance with local standards,” he said.
Dr Hudis said screening and awareness are the fundamental issues in breast cancer prevention. “Unlike the old days, women shouldn’t be afraid of a diagnosis of breast cancer because, if found early, most breast cancers are curable and outcomes are great.”
According to Dr Salha Bujassoum Al Bader, Senior Consultant Medical Oncologist, HMC’s National Center for Cancer Care and Research, and Chair of Breast Multi-Disciplinary Team, breast cancer is the most common in Qatar.
“Those diagnosed in stage one or two have cure rate of around 90 percent.
“Currently, one-third of breast cancer cases here are discovered in early stages. Sometimes we diagnose patients at later stage with a big tumour but their cancer has not yet spread to other parts of their body. In a lot of cases where a patient is diagnosed at a later stage the disease has spread,” Dr Bujassoum said.
The Peninsula
