OCTOBER - INTERNATIONAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

2016-09-30

Breast cancer is now the most frequently diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. This is the most common cancer in women, both in developed and less developed parts of the world. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 1,670,000 of women suffer from this disease and about 522,000 women die from this disease, annually.

According to official data of the IPHS "Dr Milan Jovanović Batut" Cancer Registry, in 2013, 3594 new cases of breast cancer were registered in the Republic of Serbia, while 1,647 women lost their battle to this disease. Available professional literature shows that when breast cancer is detected on time, the treatment has a good prognosis in 90 % of cases. However, mortality is still very high in breast cancer due to late detection of the disease.

October, as an international awareness month against breast cancer is marked in many countries around the world in order to draw attention to the prevalence of breast cancer and raise awareness about the importance of prevention and early detection, as well as on the possibilities of timely initiation of treatment in patients with breast cancer.

Since the causes of breast cancer are not fully understood, early detection of this disease is a form of secondary prevention of breast cancer. In order to reduce mortality of this disease and to diagnose breast cancer at an early stage, as well as improving the quality of life of female patients, the World Health Organization promotes national programs for the control of breast cancer.

Following the recommendations of the World Health Organization and European countries which have gained experience in implementing population screening programs, the Republic of Serbia has started implementing a program of organized breast cancer screening in December 2012, with the aim to reduce mortality and improve quality of life of women suffering from this disease.

Organized breast cancer screening involves calling for mammography examinations (Radiography) of the targeted population of women 50 to 69 years of age once in every two years. When breast cancer is detected at an early stage of the disease, an appropriate therapy and continuous treatment can save lives and improve the quality of life of women with this disease. One of the goals of the implementation of organized breast cancer screening is improving the awareness of women about the importance of early detection of breast cancer and regular screening examinations, as well as strengthening the capacity of health facilities to implement breast cancer screening.

Organized breast cancer screening is carried out continuously in a total of 35 municipalities on the territory of the Republic of Serbia, in which the screening mammograms are performed in health care facilities, and in 21 other municipalities screening mammograms are done by mobile mammography device. Currently, a second cycle of organized breast cancer screening is being implemented the territory of the Republic of Serbia.

Since the beginning of implementing the program of organized cancer screening, approximately 355,000 women aged 50 to 69 years were invited, and the response to mammography has been around 15% of the entire targeted population in the municipalities where this program is being implemented.

On the territory of other municipalities where the program is not implemented in the form of organized breast cancer screening and where women are not invited in person, there are also possibilities of carrying out preventive breast examinations. Preventive examinations in these cases are performed by gynecologists and general practitioners, when a doctor examines the woman and if her age is between 50 to 65 years the doctor sends her to have a mammogram, and if she is younger than 50, the doctor decides whether a woman will be sent to a mammogram or breast ultrasound, or only a breast palpation examination is sufficient at the moment. Women who in their family history have close relatives with  surgically treated breast cancer (mother, sister) answer regularly to these check ups without being called in, regularly and more often than once in a period of two years.

In this month we appeal to women 50 to 69 years of age, to visit to their doctor or general practitioner for a preventive breast examination to be carried out. This practice should be repeated once every two years.

The target population during the activity in October are health care workers of different profiles, especially gynecologists and general practitioners whose role in the Awareness Month against breast cancer is to inform patients that an examination for early detection of breast cancer is required, desirable and accessible, and that types of exams exist  depending on age and inherited genetic factors.