Oration On Breast Cancer In The 21st Century
J. Rajkumar Pandyan (second left), Clinical Professor of Surgery, Michigan State University, at Sri Ramakrishna Hospital in the city on Sunday. The incidence of breast cancer is going down in the U.S. mainly owing to increased awareness about the disease and the resultant early detection, J.Rajkumar Pandyan, Clinical Professor of Surgery, Michigan State University, USA, said here on Sunday. Delivering the Dr. B.Krishnaraj Memorial Oration on “breast cancer in the 21st century” at Sri Ramakrishna Hospital, he said that women over 40 years in the U.S. underwent regular screening for breast cancer and stayed away from the hormone replacement therapy, which had led to a decline in the number of deaths caused by the disease. A common malignant tumour of the breast, the cancer could be completely cured if detected early. The incidence of the disease was greater in women whose close relatives had breast cancer. However, 70 to 80 per cent of the women who suffered from it had no family history. Though white women had a higher risk of developing the disease compared to Asian or Hispanic women, more people were being diagnosed with it in India.
Women who had had an early menarche and late menopause were at higher risk of developing breast cancer. Similarly, early breast radiation as treatment for other diseases might increase the risk. Other risk factors included smoking and alcoholism. Women who did not have children or those who had taken birth control or hormone pills were in the high-risk category. Having children at an early age and breast feeding the baby could drastically reduce the risk of breast cancer, Dr. Pandyan explained. Obesity and lack of physical exercise could add to the risk. Chemoprevention methods were also common in the U.S.
Women over 40 years should get themselves screened for cancer of the breast every year. Clinical breast examination by a physician was also necessary. Women over 20 years of age should start self-examination of the breast so that any unusual lump could be detected. However, there was no need to panic as most lumps were benign. The disease could also affect men. For every 100 women with breast cancer, there could be a man with a malignant tumour, he said.
