In light of breast cancer awareness month, health patrons are shining the light on the importance of early detection.
Perhaps highlighting the importance of meticulous self-examination, it should be noted that this is the first preventative step towards identifying a health issue and any changes that may develop, and that's the first line of defence.
A breast cancer diagnosis can have very overwhelming and far-reaching effects.
In South Africa, breast cancer is without a doubt the leading cause of death for women, even in the absence of risk factors, some women can develop breast cancer. It can also affect anyone at any age; it has nothing to do with race or gender.
The national cancer registry, which is used for research and education, is crucial for gathering statistics. According to the 2019 report, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women in South Africa, followed by uterine cancer and Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a blood cancer.
Justine Lacy, Clinical Executive at Profmed Medical Scheme, explains why the fear of self-examination is complex. She says she can respect that some people may not be aware of the importance of self-examination. This lack of knowledge about it may also be accompanied by a lack of motivation or complacency on the part of those who feel they don't need to do it because it won't affect them.
“The goal is to raise public awareness of primary health care and the critical role that early detection plays in the success of treatment. It simply saves you pain and suffering,” she said.
When you receive a diagnosis, it does take some time to come to terms with it, and a lot of the time, it can cause a lot of anxiety, panic, and fear. It's crucial to pay attention to the mental effects that the diagnosis may have on an individual as well as the family to get the right type of support.
There are numerous support groups, with organisations like CANSA that provide excellent support groups, advice, and helplines, that are accessible around the clock as they are competent about the complex nature of breast cancer, Lacy told IOL Lifestyle.
She adds: “You get quite a wide range of cancers that behave differently and have the potential to spread if not caught early.”
She goes on to say: “We don't want cancer to metastasize because once it has, it can spread to the lungs, spine, or any other organ or structure that is close to the breast. Hence why we stress the importance of early detection”.
Depending on how far along your cancer is or how recently it was discovered, there are different treatment options. Breast cancer that has spread necessitates a double mastectomy (removal of the infected breast tissue), as well as very costly prescription drugs especially manufactured to treat cancer, she said.
“It's important to understand that if breast cancer is not detected early, one may very well be exposed to prolonged and expensive treatment.”
For a person without insurance (a state patient), various factors need to be accounted for, such as money and timeous access to treatment.
Early detection of breast cancer allows for less invasive procedures like lumpectomies or unilateral mastectomies (one breast is removed) and lymph node removal, but this prolongs recovery and necessitates reconstructive surgery, lifetime physiotherapy, and assistance with drainage because your body is no longer able to do so after lymph node removal, which causes constant swelling due to insufficient drainage, said Lacy.
The type of breast cancer you have will determine how you are treated. If you are in remission, you need to be extra cautious because although you are essentially being cleared of cancer cells, there is no guarantee that cancer won't return.
Because the cancers out there are so aggressive and spread so quickly, you are strongly advised to get screened every year. The purpose of this is not to instil fear in people, but to help them understand how prevention and education can help them avoid developing breast cancer, which can be fatal, said Lacy in conversation.
“It is also important to note that other causes of breast cancer have a lot to do with our environment and the types of food we eat, especially through the direct consumption of animal products. There are so many toxic chemicals in animal products that we are unaware of, which play a huge role in the development of aggressive cancers.”
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