Mobile pink caravan launched for early detection of breast cancer

RIYADH: As part of its breast cancer awareness campaign, the Ministry of Health launched a new station for the mobile pink caravan for early detection of breast cancer in Shaqra governorate at the weekend.
An official from the MoH said the services, which will be available for 30 days, are provided under the National Campaign for Breast Cancer Awareness 2016 at Shaqra General Hospital.
He pointed out that this mobile clinic offers integrated health services, including health awareness, mammogram screening, and treatment as and when required and will be open for women over the age of 40.
The campaign includes many activities, lectures and accompanying exhibitions, publications, in-kind gifts and visual presentations.
In a Kingdom-wide awareness program to reduce the incidence of breast cancer, the Ministry of Health launched the program in October in the capital.
The national campaign against breast cancer was launched to reduce the incidence of breast cancer in Saudi Arabia by raising awareness about the causes of the cancer, ways to preventive it and helping women to avail themselves of early detection through mammograms.
The campaign targets women over 40 years of age, and those who have a family history of the disease.
It was pointed out that early detection provides a 97 percent of chance for a full recovery.
The MoH official said mammograms will help women detect any changes in their breasts. He also advised women to take regular daily physical exercise for a period of 30 minutes to keep fit and healthy. “Taking hormone treatment after menopause, consuming fatty foods and getting unnecessarily stressed are factors that contribute to ill-health, he added.
“In some cases, however, the first sign of breast cancer is a new lump or mass in the breast that you or your doctor can feel. A lump that is painless, hard, and has uneven edges is more likely to be cancer. But sometimes cancers can be tender, soft and rounded, so it’s important to have anything unusual checked by your doctor,” the official said.
In an earlier statement made in Riyadh, Dr. Fatina Al-Tahan, director of the National Breast Cancer Screening Program at the ministry, recalled that the Early Detection of Breast Cancer Program, which was launched in 2014 with the support of the private sector, has been successful in achieving its goals. She said the clinic, which conducts mammograms, will also provide other clinical tests for visitors. These tests are meant to diagnose osteoporosis, which is common among Saudi women, and check for high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar levels and obesity.
She said the services are offered free of charge and the medics and paramedics stationed at the clinic are well trained and have gained overseas experience in dealing with such patients.
Al-Tahan also said the two clinics are equipped with state-of-the art equipment, which provides accurate test results. She also said that her department has been doing its best to create awareness among women about the importance of early detection of breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among cancer diseases after lung cancer. Around 50 to 70 percent cases are detected late in the Kingdom.