‘Prevention is better than cure’ in breast cancer

Oct 30: ‘Prevention is better than cure’ is an old adage and completely applicable to breast cancer, the treatment of which is non-affordable for common person. So what a common person can do is just prevent its spread. Breast cancer occupies the largest percentage in cancer deaths according to the survey by European society for medical oncology.

Around 1.2 million new cases of breast cancer happen to be every year in the world and more glaring fact is that 75 percent hail from developing countries and fifty percent from the Asian countries where people hardly have enough resources at their disposal to afford the general treatment not to say of breast cancer treatment, which is pretty costly.

The treatment cost of breast cancer happens to be almost $15,000. So it is better that awareness should be spread about the disease and regular check-ups should be encouraged so that it can be nipped in the bud. The best feature is that breast cancer once detected at early stage can be cured without going for chemotherapy and more than 98 percent can survive. This is to be known that women die of breast cancer just due to lack of awareness as a consequence of which the disease is detected at a later stage when it can not be cured.

European society of medical oncology says that India harbors around 79,000 new cases of breast cancer every year, which means one new case every 6.5 minute. The only way to get rid of this disease is regular check-ups and screening mammography, which can detect about 85 percent of breast cancers in women without symptoms.

Women of age above 40 should get their check-up annually. Those of age group of 20 to 30 should have clinical breast examination at least every five years.

To spread awareness about the disease the first Asian Breast Cancer Congress is being held in New Delhi from February 9-10 in 2008, which would be a pan Asian effort in view of the fact that 50% cases come from Asia.

Conference would create a firm knowledge base regarding treatments, researches and cures related to breast cancer. Cancer physicians, surgeons, gynecologists and people with interest in the matter will assemble to discuss about the disease and other aspects of the problem. A walk for life will also take place to spread awareness among people.

On daily basis the possible cure may be a diet rich in cabbage reduces the risk of breast cancer. A large intake of vegetables gets the toxins and excess Oestrogen out of the body and reduces the risk. Apart from dietary prescription, regular exercise also helps.