The world celebrates in October of every year breast cancer awareness, an initiative to increase attention to this disease and ways to prevent it, raise awareness of its danger, and provide support, information and support to patients in order to combat this disease. Early detection is the cornerstone of breast cancer control, in order to improve treatment outcomes and improve patient survival rates.
"Your health" met Dr. Iman Abd Al-Rahman Khayyat, Consultant, Breast Augmentation, Reconstruction and Aesthetic Surgery - University of Western Ontario Canada and King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center in Jeddah - to highlight breast cancer, and learn about the developments in his treatment and modern technology in the ways of reconstruction, restoration and shape of the breast after recovery Of the disease. She also met Dr. Atlal Mohammed Abdullah Abu Sanad, a consultant and assistant professor of internal diseases and oncology and clinical researcher in molecular oncology - Department of Internal Medicine - Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, to talk about his treatment. Dr. Rulina Kamal Al-Wassia, Consultant and Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology - College of Medicine - King Abdulaziz University, spoke to "Your Health" about radiotherapy.
Silent enemy
Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer that may affect a woman, and its incidence increases with age, as the probability of a woman getting infected at the age of thirty is approximately 0.5 per cent, but this percentage rises to nearly 5 per cent at the age of seventy, It is the leading cause of tumor deaths among women. It is worth noting here that men are also more likely to develop breast cancer, but to a much smaller extent than women.
She adds d. Iyat Khayyat believes that one of the beliefs that is no longer accepted now is that breast cancer is seen as a fatal disease and the chances of survival from it are slim. With the development of research and studies and the finding of various methods of detection and treatment, breast cancer for women is no longer a frightening concern and must be seen as any other disease that can Cure it and recover from it if it was diagnosed in time.
Dr. explained. Khayat''s belief that the most important characteristic of breast cancer is the absence of symptoms, so it is not surprising that it was called a silent enemy. Usually, its presence in the initial stages is not accompanied by any apparent pain or change. On the other hand, this usually causes delayed diagnosis. And when common symptoms appear, such as a lump in the breast or underarm, a change in the nature of the skin of the breast, or a shift in what we resemble an orange peel, a change in the nipple, or large recurring secretions from one of the breasts, this means that we are dealing with an advanced stage of the disease .
Causes and Diagnosis
Dr. explained. Khayyat said the main cause of cancer is still mysterious, although avoiding known causes that may increase the incidence of breast tumors or at least know them may help reduce the possibility of infection. Most cases of malignant breast tumors are individual, independent cases that are not related to gender, color, or family history, and account for approximately 80 percent of cases. The remaining 20 percent is the result of a genetic defect inherited in the family, and these cases are usually more and faster developed after the disease is discovered and more difficult to treat.
Diagnostic methods include
Breast self-examination. It is considered one of the most important means for early detection of breast cancer. His work is advised on a regular basis, and it is preferable for the woman to specify to examine her breasts a fixed day of each month that is far from the days of the menstrual cycle, and the goal is for the woman to be able to determine any change that occurs in one of the breasts and then present herself to the specialist doctor to confirm the examination and the necessary action.
• Mammograms. After two years of age, women must undergo a mammogram for breast exams every two years. In the event that there are reasons to increase the possibility of infection, it is recommended to conduct the examination annually.
Ultrasound examination. Ultrasound examination is considered to be a supplement to the mammogram in the event of a suspected mammary mass and for examination of the lymph nodes under the armpit. It can also be used as a primary means of diagnosis before the age of thirty-five, as most of the breast tissue at this age is composed of the breast glands, and therefore it is difficult to diagnose any change in the breast through the mammogram, which gives a better picture in the case of the formation of the fatty tissue.
Magnetic resonance imaging. It is used in some cases that are difficult to diagnose by previous methods or in the case of women who are considered highly qualified to develop breast cancer as a means of annual examination, and in some cases to determine the type and extent of surgery that the patient must undergo.
Breast biopsy. After suspicious of diagnosing an X-ray, the radiologist takes a biopsy or sample of the suspected portion with a special needle. The sample is carefully examined under a microscope and the nature of the cells is recognized. If the cancerous tumor is diagnosed, more tests will be conducted on the sample itself to help determine the best treatment.
"Journey" treatment
Dr. reported. Iyat Khayyat believes that the journey of treating a female patient with breast cancer begins with a group of doctors specializing in treating this disease. The treatment plan usually includes surgery, drug therapy, radiotherapy, and in some cases hormonal and biological therapy. This depends on the type, degree, and extent of the tumor.
Surgical treatment. Dr. says Iman Khayyat said that breast surgery had evolved, during decades, as unpleasant operations lead to complete mutilation after mastectomy and the surrounding areas, which leaves the patient suffering psychologically and socially from the repercussions of this disease, where the effects of deep and ugly scarring always remind her that her days in life She is counted and forbids the pleasure of enjoying anything, even if she writes her deliverance.
With the great progress in various medical fields, this surgery turned into a plastic surgery, through which the surgeon seeks to remove the tumor with a reconfiguration of the breast in a cosmetic manner that is in most cases superior and more positive than it was before the operation.
Many studies have shown that the final form of a woman after performing breast operations greatly affects her family and social relationships, her ability to give and socialize, and even to her relationship by herself and her acceptance of herself. These repercussions necessitated this change in the nature of the surgery that is offered to women with the disease.
In most cases of breast tumors, a tumor resection procedure in addition to radiation therapy is completely equal to a complete mastectomy in terms of the possibility of the disease returning or death due to it. There is no longer a need at the present time for a complete mastectomy except in some cases that are considered inappropriate for partial eradication, either because the disease is detected at an advanced stage or because there are reasons that prevent a woman from obtaining radiotherapy.
• Chemotherapy. For her part, Dr. Atlal Mohammed Abdullah Abu Sanad talked about chemotherapy and explained that most of the chemical treatments used in cancer treatment are natural materials, either plant or marine or bacterial extracts, and all that the modern science added is that he extracted and purified them and put them in bottles and drug covers and gave them names.
Hormone therapy. Dr. explained. Ruins are a treatment with antihistamines because they interrupt the production of female hormones in the body and thus prevent the growth and return of tumors that feed on hormones. And that these medications are given to breast hormones of the positive hormonal type (that is, they are stimulated by female hormones). It is divided into two types: one that is given before the menstruation is interrupted, and one that is given after the menopause, and we mean here the natural interruption that comes with age.
The purpose of using these therapies (hormonal, chemical or biological) is to reduce the possibility of the disease returning itself in the future and getting rid of any cells that have not been removed by surgical intervention.
Dr. added. Ruins that some chemotherapy drugs can affect the ovaries and stop the normal menstrual cycle (menopause). Among women under the age of 40, the interruption may be temporary (i.e. the cycle returns after a period of interruption), but in women over 40, the interruption is often permanent. There is no specific time for the cycle to return (if it will come back). It may return months or years after chemotherapy ends.
Radiation therapy. Dr. Rulina Kamal Al-Wassia talked about radiotherapy, and indicated that it may be used as a primary cancer treatment or combined with surgery and / or chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. Most types of cancer can be treated with radiation in some way. The goal of accurate treatment depends on the type of cancer, its location, its development and also on the general health of the patient. Radiotherapy has 3 uses, depending on the type of tumor, its location in the body, and its stage:
To eliminate the tumor once and for all, it is used in cancers of the larynx and nasopharynx with chemotherapy.
Postoperative and supplemental adjuvant to improve outcome of localized tumor control such as breast cancer.
Palliative to treat symptoms caused by tumors, such as pain, obstruction of the airway or intestine, and high-energy ionizing radiation is used to kill cancer cells and get rid of them with a device called the Leaner accelerator.
Radiotherapy is usually used in cases of clear eye cancer. The radiation range may also include - in addition to visible cancer - the lymph nodes if they are clinically involved with the tumor or if doctors suspect they may be invisible cancerous or help spread cancer in the body.
In order to avoid healthy cells (such as the skin or organs that are in the way of radiation), radiation is usually subjected from several angles, chosen so that the radiation beams in the cancer region overlap to give a larger dose in this region of the surrounding healthy areas.
protection
Many studies showed that a healthy lifestyle reduces the incidence of many diseases. It also demonstrated that allocating an hour for at least three times per week to exercise helps reduce the incidence of tumors and reduces the possibility of the disease returning after treatment. Eating healthy meals and avoiding foods rich in saturated fats are important factors in reducing the risk of disease.
Finally, d. Khayat''s belief that the stage of oncology is an important journey and difficult battle that may take from a few months to a few years, during which the patient must be provided with (and whoever) helps her to complete, and to move away from all obstacles including the passive people who may be the cause of defeat . Resistance is half of the treatment, and goal setting, confidence, and conviction in treatment are essential to success in this complex task.
