Saudi Health Ministry spurs efforts to defeat breast cancer

A national campaign against breast cancer was launched to reduce the incidences by raising awareness about its causes. (SPA)

RIYADH: The Ministry of Health has launched three breast cancer clinics in the Jazan region to promote awareness and early detection of breast cancer.
The clinics are located at the Southern Rawdah Center and Southern Abu Areesh Center in the Central Health Sector and Al-Hussaini Center in the Western Health Sector, according to the ministry.
The ministry will set up clinics in the remaining sectors in the region to serve women ages 40 to 69. In the event of positive symptoms, patients will be referred to the nearest hospitals where mammogram services are available.
“It is important at this stage to educate targeted segments about the importance of early detection, which starts with self-examination as well as educating people about the most important symptoms that may show up during examination,” a ministry official said
In October, a national campaign against breast cancer was launched to reduce the incidences by raising awareness about its causes, preventive methods and early detection through mammograms.
The official pointed out that early detection has a 97 percent chance for a complete recovery.
He advised that mammograms would help women detect any changes in their body. He also recommended that women exercise for 30 minutes daily to keep them fit and healthy.
“Taking hormone treatment after menopause, consuming fatty foods and getting unnecessarily stressed are factors that can 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 can be felt.
The general secretariat of the Saudi Health Council said that 15,001 new cases of breast cancer were discovered in 2013, according to an annual report of the Saudi Cancer Registry (SCR).
According to the report, the new cases involved 11,645 Saudis, including 5,281 men and 6,364 women, while 3,356 were non-Saudis.
In 2013, the Riyadh region detected 3,280 cases, Makkah 2,512, Eastern Province 2,122, Asir 902, and the Northern Border Region 118.
According to Medical News Today, Breast cancer usually starts off in the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply them with milk. A malignant tumor can spread to other parts of the body.