Is Breast Cancer Preventable?
Prevention of breast cancer, currently, is not possible since its cause is yet unknown. But certainly the rising trend of its incidence can be controlled by making women aware of the risk factors of breast cancer.
Rapid industrialisation and unplanned urbanisation have now led more women to work outside home. There are late marriages, therefore, late childbirth. Infrequent breast-feeding and shorter duration of lactation are mainly due to the stress of daily life.
Breast-feeding needs to be encouraged and late pregnancy avoided. Unfortunately most women (60%) are present in stage III and IV of the disease, when cure is impossible. These women would have escaped the dreadful course of cancer, the cost of treatment and death if the cancer was detected early. As many as 21 % of women who develop breast cancer, die within the first year of diagnosis.
The detection of breast cancer in its initial stages when small and before it has had the chance to spread, and its treatment with available options can achieve cure. This aim can be achieved by screening women with identifiable risk factors. Women are motivated to self examine their breasts (breast self examination BSE) and a periodic physical examination can be carried out by the family doctor or a health visitor, in high risk women. The acceptance of this simple and inexpensive screening method, however, may not be easy, since most women are either illiterate or live under constant stress of daily life.
Mammography for screening of asymptomatic women is a useful test. It can be done every 1-2 years, especially among high risk women. It greatly helps in discovering early lesions, especially among women over 50. Abnormalities detected on screening are impalpable and can be subjected to image guided fine needle aspiration cytology for diagnosis.
Indeed, there is anxiety amongst women when invited for breast screening, but once motivated, after a few visits when no abnormality is discovered; they become more keen and regular.
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