|
Breast Cancer Awareness Month October 2008
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and this year The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation is encouraging all New Zealanders to play their part in the fight against breast cancer by ensuring all New Zealand women understand the importance of early detection of breast cancer and make the best breast health choices.
Each year in New Zealand approximately 2400 women are diagnosed with breast cancer – that’s more than 45 women every week.
However, if breast cancer is detected early, there is a greater chance of survival.
When breast cancer is detected early, the cancer is usually small and less likely to have spread to other parts of the body. As a result, these cancers are able to be removed and treated with less invasive procedures.
In order to ensure the early detection of breast cancer, The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation recommends yearly screening mammograms for women between the ages of 40 and 49 and every two years from the age of 50 onwards. The Foundation also recommends all women stay breast aware and consult their family doctor without delay if changes occur.
Mammographic studies indicate that if you have no problems with your breasts and go for regular breast screening mammograms, you have 33 percent less chance of dying from breast cancer between the ages of 50-70 years, and 17 percent less chance between the ages of 40-50 years.
In a recent study by The University of Otago Dunedin School of Medicine, it was estimated that breast screening between the ages of 50-69 could result in between 20-34 fewer deaths per year and screening between the ages of 45-49 could prevent up to seven deaths per year.
However, New Zealanders need to do more to fight this devastating disease – not enough women are having screening mammograms. While the international breast screening target is to screen 70 percent of eligible women, only 52 percent of women aged between 45 and 49, and 60 percent of women aged between 50-69 are being screened in New Zealand.
So what’s stopping New Zealand women from undertaking this potentially life-saving procedure?
A number of factors may be affecting this vital decision including the perceived discomfort or awkwardness of the procedure, the fear of finding an abnormality and the lack of understanding about breast health and breast screening.
The New Zealand Breast Cancer Foundation is working to break down these barriers by providing information and education about breast cancer and encouraging all New Zealanders to do something about it: encourage your loved ones to go for regular screening mammograms and check ups, and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Mammograms – the facts
- A mammogram is a very low dose x-ray of the breast tissue that can pick up very small breast cancers.
- During mammography screening, the breast is briefly and gently pressed between two plates of the x-ray machine so as to spread the tissue apart and get the optimum image of the breast. Images of the breast are taken and then checked by radiologists.
- Only 5% of women find mammograms painful.
- The radiation dose from a mammogram is minimal and is less than you would get in a year from natural background radiation.
- A mammogram will detect 80-90% of breast cancers. It can miss some – it may miss them in younger women and women who have dense breast tissue. The best way to ensure early detection of breast cancer is to supplement mammograms with general breast awareness and clinical examinations by a family doctor.
- When a cancer is found on a mammogram, it can be as small as two millimetres and is usually not able to be felt.
- The New Zealand Government funds BreastScreen Aoteoroa, a free national breast screening programme for women aged 45-69 (to enrol phone 0800 270 200).
- Mammograms are also available for high risk women and those with significant symptoms through DHBs with a doctor’s referral. Private radiology facilities may also provide mammography services.
- It is important to note that breast screening mammograms are only for ‘well’ women with no symptoms of breast cancer.
for information on events in your area during Breast Cancer Awareness Month visit www.nzbcf.org.nz
Encouraging early detection of breast cancer
|
