Dr Kanchan stresses to create awareness about breast cancer

Jammu, March 5 (Scoop News) – While spread of breast cancer among women in India is on the rise and it is all set to pip cervical cancer as the most reported cancer among women in India by 2020, India’s first woman breast cancer surgeon (oncologist) Dr Kanchan Kaur today stressed the need to create an awareness about the disease saying “awareness is key to fighting the disease”. She was speaking at an extension-cum-awareness lecture organized by the Department of Lifelong Learning, University of Jammu in collaboration with the Rotary Club Jammu Tawi here today at the DLL Seminar Hall. Professor Poonam Dhawan, Director, DLL, Dr Kavita Suri, Assistant Director, DLL, Dr Dushyant Choudhary, President, Rotary Club, Jammu Tawi, DLL faculty members and a number of Jammu University teaching and no-teaching members were present at the jam-packed hall.

Dr Kanchan Kaur who is a native of Jammu and belongs to a family of doctors, said the disease is engulfing modern city women more. She said figures show that out of 22 cancer patients one is a woman. This is attributed majorly to the change in our societal setup where women are getting married late, with many in their 30s still remaining unmarried or single.

“Various risk factors of breast cancer to come into play including late age at first childbirth, fewer children and shorter duration of breast-feeding. Family history of breast cancer increases the risk also,” she said adding early detection is the best way to prevent the disease from spreading and improve the odds of survival. If detected in time, the cure rate is an astonishing 97 percent. She asked the women to perform a monthly breast self-examination which is a great way to be familiar with one breasts’ texture, size, and skin condition. She added that almost 70 percent of cases are detected in stage three of the disease. Till then a lot of time had been wasted and the cure rate obviously goes down. She also informed that while in the West the average age of breast cancer among women is after 55 years, sadly in India it is after 40 years. In many cases in India, the patients are even below 40 years which is an alarming trend.

The noted breast surgeon Dr Kaur also informed that having a married life at an appropriate natural time and having kids before 30 years age can lessen breast cancer in a major way. She warned that women should know about the symptoms of this form of cancer like oozing out of blood or water from nipples, having soreness in and around the nipple or underarms without having pain. Dr Kaur asked the women who feel such symptoms that delaying or thinking that they can’t get cancer may prove fatal, as in advanced stages it may be quite late. So prevention is better than cure. According to Dr Kour, women should get tested regularly once they turn 35 regularly after an interval of two years through mammography i.e. X-ray of the breast.

Earlier Dr. Poonam Dhawan, Director DLL, while welcoming Dr Kaur, said that the DLL is trying to create awareness among the masses regarding such diseases through its various extension activities. Dr Kavita Suri, organizing secretary of the programme introduced the speaker to the audience and Dr Dushyant Choudhary dwelled upon the Rotary Club, Jammu Tawi’s activities in Jammu region. He said the Rotary Club, Jammu Tawi is keen to collaborate with DLL in its various outreach activities and both thus can work towards the betterment of the society.

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