Chennai doctors cautions younger women regarding breast cancer!!
Posted on: 21/Oct/2023 9:21:55 AM
The doctors belonging to the private hospitals in Chennai have mentioned that around 15% of the breast cancer cases reported belong to younger women in their 20s.
It is well known that the month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Point is that despite many campaigns about early screening for breast cancer, the majority of the diagnosed cases that come to the private hospitals in Chennai are those in the advanced stages.
According to Dr. Veda Padma Priya, a senior consultant of breast oncology, MGM Cancer Institute in Chennai, the risk of breast cancer was high for women after the age of 40. She added that the screening modalities were focussed on assessing the risk among women were 40 plus. She concluded that it was not surprising to see many undiagnosed breast cancer cases in women in their 20s.
It is important to note that the screening facilities would not be that effective in younger women due to the high density of breast during young age. Assessing lesions would be much easier in older women than in the younger women. Information gathered is that some types of breast cancers could be very aggressive and would spread at a faster rate. Other types of breast cancer could have just minimal impact only. There are chances for aggressive cancers even in younger women.
The doctors explained about various factors for breast cancers in women like age, genetics, ethnicity, diet, body weight, hormonal activity etc.
It was brought out by Dr. Mukta Mahajan,consultant of breast interventional radiology , at Apollo Proton Cancer Centre in Chennai that an important part of prevention of breast cancer would be early screening.
The doctor spoke about how the majority of the patients reach the hospital only after the symptoms (finding a lump or discharge etc) have worsened. It is true that cancer would be curable if the women visit the doctor in the initial stages itself.
The doctors wanted every woman aged 21 to look out for the early stages and symptoms of breast cancer. They were of the view that self examination of the breast was highly necessary.
