Don’t be afraid of Breast Cancer, be afraid of being late, do not hinder your controls

European University of Lefke (EUL) Vocational School of Health Sciences organized a conference themed “Breast Cancer” on the occasion of Breast Cancer awareness month. Under the framework of the conference, Academician of EUL Vocational School of Health Sciences Prof. Dr. Ercan Patıroğlu conveyed detailed information on breast cancer, clinic, diagnosis, treatment and protection and self-control.

Patıroğlu: Breast cancer is the most common cancer type seen in women     

Patıroğlu said that, “Breast cancer occurs when the cells that lay the milk glands and channels continue to proliferate out-of-control and spread to the various parts of the body” and added that, breast cancer is the most common cancer type seen in women and constitutes 30% of the cancer types that is seen in women. Patıroğlu also pointed out that, breast cancer accounts for 18% of cancer-related deaths, and the cause of the majority is unknown and added that there are many risk factors, and that there is no primary prevention method that has been proposed and proven to combat breast cancer in women at the social level.

Patıroğlu listed the symptoms of breast cancer as; mass in the breast, nipple wounds and retraction, spontaneous leakage from the nipple, discoloration of the breast skin, deformity, orange peel appearance, wound, pitting in the breast, swelling, distortion of symmetry between the two breast and the mass under the armpit.

Patıroğlu listed the treatments of breast cancer as; surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone treatment and immunotherapy and pointed out that treatment in breast cancer is applied with different combinations according to the stage of the cancer and the condition of the patient. Patıroğlu pointed out the aim of early diagnosis as intervening the process of carcinogenesis before the onset of clinical findings and listed the procedures as; breast self-examination, clinical breast examination, mammography, ultrasonography, MRI, and biopsy

Patıroğlu: Breast self-examination is the most important self-examination that a woman can do.

Poiting out that breast self-examination should be done as of the age of 20 once a month, Patıroğlu said that the most effective tool in early diagnosis of a cancer is our hands. Patıroğlu said that women should do breast self-examination in order to take on the responsibilities of their own bodies, to get to know their breast tissue and to diagnose the changes that might occur in the breast early. He also said that, breast self-examination is the most important self-examination that a woman can do and added that it is the easiest, cheapest and most applicable examination that does not need any equipment.

Patıroğlu said that in case of any mass, growth, nipple soreness, edema, redness, mass under the arm, and discharge on the nipple (spontaneous), itching, scaling, medical advice should be sought. Patıroğlu finally said that, “Don’t be afraid of Breast Cancer, be afraid of being late, do not hinder your controls” and added that early diagnosis is the most effective way of achieving a successful treatment.