The Hindu : New Delhi News : A new initiative to contain breast cancer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 10, 2007
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New Delhi

New Delhi

A new initiative to contain breast cancer

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Ninety five per cent of all breast cancers could be halted before they become fatal, if all women would do Breast Self Examination (BSE), see their doctors for regular cancer check-ups and have mammogram as recommended.

Research also indicates that tumours found by women practicing BSE are half the size of those discovered by doctors in non-BSE practising women and smaller the breast cancer tumour when discovered, greater the chance of effective treatment and cure. Now taking the lessons of BSE and how best to contain the disease, Anita Khokhar -- associate professor, Department of Community Medicine, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital -- and her team are using new communication means to reach out to and educate women.

In an innovative initiative by doctors anyone can log onto www.youtube.com and search for ‘Indian breast self examination’ in the site’s search field and educate themselves about how to detect the cancer early on. The group is also holding sessions in various government and private departments to educate women about the need for BSE and why women should get medical help as early as possible.

“Breast cancer in India is the most common form of cancer to affect women of Delhi, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram as per Indian Council of Medical Research registry data. Every year about 80,000 new cases are detected in India. It accounts for 35,000-40,000 deaths annually as about 60-70 per cent of the women report only in stage III and IV that is when the disease is fairly advanced. As per today’s estimates, one in 22 Indian women is likely to be affected by this disease in her lifetime,” said Dr. Khokhar. The group of doctors through their educative sessions inform women about BSE and then follow-up with those who detect a lump.

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