Medicana Health Group General Surgery Specialist Assoc. Dr. Muhammed Gömeç said that breast cancer, the most common type of cancer in women, can be diagnosed early thanks to self-examination and screening programs.
Warnings continue to come from experts about breast cancer, which is predicted to be caught by one in every 8 women in the world. Stating that it is important for women to examine themselves once a month for early diagnosis, Medicana Sivas Hospital General Surgery Specialist Assoc. Dr. Muhammed Gömeç said, “The ideal time for menstruating women is between the 5th-7th days after menstruation starts. Those who do not menstruate should determine a certain day of the month and examine themselves.”
Explaining in which situations hospitals should be consulted, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gömeç said, “Any swelling, depression, redness, collapse of the nipple, bloody or transparent discharge from the nipple should be the reasons to consult a doctor. In the treatment of patients diagnosed early, breast-conserving surgery can be performed up to 80 percent. In cases of advanced disease, the cancer can first be minimized with drug treatment and then breast-conserving surgery can be performed. With the oncoplastic surgery techniques developed in recent years, surgeries that disrupt breast aesthetics are no longer performed frequently. With current surgical techniques, both cancer treatment and the aesthetic structure of the breast can be preserved. In addition, in some advanced cancers of the breast or in patients with genetic transition, the breast can be evacuated and breast aesthetics can be provided again with silicone prosthesis. Breast cancer is a treatable disease, as long as it can be diagnosed early.”
“Mammography follow-ups are important in early diagnosis”
Stating that breast cancer is a type of cancer that can be completely cured when diagnosed early, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gömeç said, “One in 8 women in Turkey is at risk of breast cancer. 10-15 percent of breast cancers show familial transmission. One of the important tests to diagnose breast cancer is mammography. Mammography should be performed once every two years between the ages of 40-50. At the age of 50 and above, it should be done once every year. If there is a family history of breast cancer, the age of the first control mammography can be brought forward.”
Women who are overweight, start menstruating early and receive radiation therapy are at higher risk
Pointing out that breast cancer is more common after the age of 50, Gömeç said, “Women who have a family history of breast cancer, who start menstruating early, who have late menopause, who have never given birth or had their first birth after the age of 30, who are overweight, who receive radiation therapy and who are exposed to radiation have a higher risk of developing breast cancer compared to other women. Women who use birth control pills and menopause medications for a long time are also slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than those who do not. Breast cancer is less common in women who do regular sports, eat a balanced diet with natural products and breastfeed for more than 16 months.”
