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100 percent survivability rate possible for breast cancer victims
Early screening is not merely a recommendation in the fight against breast cancer. Rather, it is a tactic that can help to ensure a 100 percent survivability rate for those inflicted.
At least this is according to Dr. Zoilo Placeres Leon who has been helping to treat the disease at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation [GPHC].
Cancer treatment is a sub-specialty of Dr. Leon, who hails from Cuba but has been lending his support here for the past four years.
Given the potential survivability rate, Dr. Leon is proposing that, without fail, women of all ages, should become candidates for early screening and should not merely wait for the manifestation of symptoms of the disease to seek medical attention.
In fact, he made it pellucid that this proposition should not only be applicable to women with high risk factors for the disease such as those with family members who were previously inflicted.
All women should adhere, the Dr. Emphasised. “At least one in every 10 women screened will be diagnosed with early stage breast cancer.”
Breast cancer can manifest in four stages – one through four – and, according to Dr. Leon, with the onset of stage four, death is imminent although it can be made bearable through palliative care.
“But when you pick up that early stage breast cancer the tumour usually is [a few] millimetres and it is something that you only can see in the x-rays…If you see the breast it would be totally normal; you can’t see that something is wrong at this stage.
“Once cancer is picked up at this early stage the chance of you surviving is 100 percent and so we emphasise that all the women should be doing their screening to increase their chance of survival,” said Dr. Leon.
According to information released by the World Health Organisation [WHO], breast cancer is the most frequent cancer among women, impacting 2.1 million women each year.
It also causes the greatest number of cancer-related deaths among them.
Last year alone it was estimated that 627,000 women died from breast cancer – that is approximately 15 percent of all cancer deaths among women.
While breast cancer rates are higher among women in more developed regions, WHO has underscored that rates are increasing in nearly every region, globally.
In sync with Dr. Leon’s suggestion, WHO has noted that in order to improve breast cancer outcomes and survival, early detection is critical.
“There are two early detection strategies for breast cancer: early diagnosis and screening.” WHO has proposed adding that “limited resource settings with weak health systems where the majority of women are diagnosed in late stages should prioritize early diagnosis programmes based on awareness of early signs and symptoms and prompt referral to diagnosis and treatment.”
Early diagnosis strategies, according to WHO, too, should focus on providing timely access to cancer treatment by reducing barriers to care and/or improving access to effective diagnosis services.
The goal is to increase the proportion of breast cancers identified at an early stage, allowing for more effective treatment to be used and reducing the risks of death from breast cancer, according to WHO.
Turning his attention to the notion that prevention can be better than cure, Dr. Leon disclosed that diet can play a crucial role in this regard.
“The diet is important; weight control is essential…If you can control your body weight you will have less chance of getting breast cancer,” said Dr. Leon.
Reports suggest that a diet high in foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and lean protein may help to prevent cancer.
Conversely, processed meats, refined carbs, salt and alcohol may increase one’s risk. Though no diet has been proven to cure cancer, it is said that a plant-based and low-carb diet may lower the risk or benefit treatment.
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