Rotaract Club webinar on breast cancer awareness
Breast cancer is currently the most common cancer worldwide and awareness has a huge role to play in limiting the damage it causes annually.
In an effort to create awareness, University of Colombo (UoC) Rotaract Club of the Faculty of Science hosted an in-depth live discussion on 24 October with Ministry of Health National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) consultant physician Dr. Nayana De Alwis on the basics of breast cancer, how to check for signs and symptoms, and how to get treatment.
The webinar was organised by the Rotaract Club in partnership with Lanka Hospitals, FOS Media, Pulse, Chokolaate Magazine, and NowYouSeeMe Digital Media.
The nature of cancer
Dr. De Alwis spoke on the nature of cancer, explaining that cancer is essentially when cells multiply and grow in an abnormal way due to mutations within the cell that happens when cell division takes place. Not all cell mutations are cancerous and in many cases, the body’s immune system takes care of cell mutations and growths without it ever becoming an issue.
However, when these cells divide, multiply, and grow abnormally at an advanced rate or in a way the body cannot naturally control, a cancer is formed. Cancerous cells are also invasive and spread to surrounding tissues, and can also travel to other parts of the body through the bloodstream.
There is no known specific cause for the development of cancer. It can be for a variety of reasons, including genetic predisposition when there is a history of cancer within the family, regardless of whether this history is maternal or paternal.
Breast cancer and its risk factors
Breast cancer is when cancer develops within the breast tissue. It is the leading form of cancer in women worldwide, with over 3,500 cases reported in Sri Lanka each year. Breast cancer claims the lives of 700 Sri Lankan women each year.
Like with all cancers, there is no known specific cause for breast cancer. However, research has shown that there are several risk factors that have been identified in relation to breast cancer.
Dr. De Alwis stressed that risk factors are not causes of illness, but simply factors that make people more likely to develop a disease over time. In the case of breast cancer, Dr. De Alwis shared that there are many uncontrollable risk factors (factors that cannot be controlled through individual action or lifestyle changes) that are easier to manage, as well as controllable risk factors (lifestyle-based factors) that contribute to women (and men) developing breast cancer.
In terms of uncontrollable risk factors, gender is one major risk factor, Dr. De Alwis explained, with breast cancer being 100 times more common in women than men. Exposure to the female reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone also increases the risk of developing breast cancer, particularly for women who experience early menarche, late menopause, and have not had pregnancies.
The long-term use of oral contraceptives and prolonged post-menopausal hormone therapy have also been linked to a higher risk of developing breast cancer due to the disruption of hormones these treatments create.
Another factor that increases the risk of developing breast cancer is radiation therapy for other illnesses, particularly when the treatment is received at adolescence during which time the breasts are forming. Genetic and family history is also a risk factor, but only 5-10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary.
Controllable risk factors that contribute to developing breast cancer are obesity, alcohol, tobacco, and a lack of exercise.
Prevention is better than cure
The most effective way for women to be mindful of breast cancer is through frequent self-examination. The touch-look-check (TLC) campaign on breast cancer awareness drives home this point.
The TCL campaign encourages women to examine their breasts as frequently as possible, at least once a month, to check for anything unusual. Through touching, women can observe if they feel anything different, through looking they can detect anything unusual in the appearance of their breasts. Also through checking, they can see if anything unusual is the sign of some other deeper issue.
Common symptoms of breast cancer include lumps within the breast, changes in shape and size of the breast, any changes to the nipple and surrounding areas, any skin changes (redness, scaliness, dryness, irritation, flaking, etc.), or dimpling.
“Early detection is the most important way to fight cancer,” Dr. De Alwis said, explaining that while developed countries have higher rates of breast cancer, developing countries have higher death rates, in part due to the lack of awareness on breast cancer as well as cultural bias stopping women from seeking attention and treatment sooner.
What to do after TLC?
Dr. De Alwis explained that there are many options for women who notice something unusual and suspect they may have one or more symptoms of breast cancer. Urban women can visit hospitals, clinics, or physicians for a medical opinion before deciding how to proceed. For women in rural areas, Dr. De Alwis explained that a visit to the Medical Officer of the Health Office is the strongest course of action, as well as consulting with a public health nurse or midwife.
Dr. De Alwis shared that one’s socioeconomic background is not a limiting factor in obtaining treatment. There are many resources at state-level that provide services free of charge, with each province in Sri Lanka having a major hospital for cancer treatment.
Moreover, Dr. De Alwis also recommended the Cancer Early Detection Centre in Colombo, run by the NCCP, which is still treating patients even through the pandemic via appointments only made by phone.
Dr. De Alwis spoke on the nature of cancer, explaining that cancer is essentially when cells multiply and grow in an abnormal way due to mutations within the cell that happens when cell division takes place. Not all cell mutations are cancerous and in many cases, the body’s immune system takes care of cell mutations and growths without it ever becoming an issue.
However, when these cells divide, multiply, and grow abnormally at an advanced rate or in a way the body cannot naturally control, a cancer is formed. Cancerous cells are also invasive and spread to surrounding tissues, and can also travel to other parts of the body through the bloodstream.
There is no known specific cause for the development of cancer. It can be for a variety of reasons, including genetic predisposition when there is a history of cancer within the family, regardless of whether this history is maternal or paternal.
Breast cancer and its risk factors
Breast cancer is when cancer develops within the breast tissue. It is the leading form of cancer in women worldwide, with over 3,500 cases reported in Sri Lanka each year. Breast cancer claims the lives of 700 Sri Lankan women each year.
Like with all cancers, there is no known specific cause for breast cancer. However, research has shown that there are several risk factors that have been identified in relation to breast cancer.
Dr. De Alwis stressed that risk factors are not causes of illness, but simply factors that make people more likely to develop a disease over time. In the case of breast cancer, Dr. De Alwis shared that there are many uncontrollable risk factors (factors that cannot be controlled through individual action or lifestyle changes) that are easier to manage, as well as controllable risk factors (lifestyle-based factors) that contribute to women (and men) developing breast cancer.
In terms of uncontrollable risk factors, gender is one major risk factor, Dr. De Alwis explained, with breast cancer being 100 times more common in women than men. Exposure to the female reproductive hormones estrogen and progesterone also increases the risk of developing breast cancer, particularly for women who experience early menarche, late menopause, and have not had pregnancies.
The long-term use of oral contraceptives and prolonged post-menopausal hormone therapy have also been linked to a higher risk of developing breast cancer due to the disruption of hormones these treatments create.
Another factor that increases the risk of developing breast cancer is radiation therapy for other illnesses, particularly when the treatment is received at adolescence during which time the breasts are forming. Genetic and family history is also a risk factor, but only 5-10% of breast cancer cases are hereditary.
Controllable risk factors that contribute to developing breast cancer are obesity, alcohol, tobacco, and a lack of exercise.
Prevention is better than cure
The most effective way for women to be mindful of breast cancer is through frequent self-examination. The touch-look-check (TLC) campaign on breast cancer awareness drives home this point.
The TCL campaign encourages women to examine their breasts as frequently as possible, at least once a month, to check for anything unusual. Through touching, women can observe if they feel anything different, through looking they can detect anything unusual in the appearance of their breasts. Also through checking, they can see if anything unusual is the sign of some other deeper issue.
Common symptoms of breast cancer include lumps within the breast, changes in shape and size of the breast, any changes to the nipple and surrounding areas, any skin changes (redness, scaliness, dryness, irritation, flaking, etc.), or dimpling.
“Early detection is the most important way to fight cancer,” Dr. De Alwis said, explaining that while developed countries have higher rates of breast cancer, developing countries have higher death rates, in part due to the lack of awareness on breast cancer as well as cultural bias stopping women from seeking attention and treatment sooner.
What to do after TLC?
Dr. De Alwis explained that there are many options for women who notice something unusual and suspect they may have one or more symptoms of breast cancer. Urban women can visit hospitals, clinics, or physicians for a medical opinion before deciding how to proceed. For women in rural areas, Dr. De Alwis explained that a visit to the Medical Officer of the Health Office is the strongest course of action, as well as consulting with a public health nurse or midwife.
Dr. De Alwis shared that one’s socioeconomic background is not a limiting factor in obtaining treatment. There are many resources at state-level that provide services free of charge, with each province in Sri Lanka having a major hospital for cancer treatment.
Moreover, Dr. De Alwis also recommended the Cancer Early Detection Centre in Colombo, run by the NCCP, which is still treating patients even through the pandemic via appointments only made by phone.