MORE than 60 per cent of breast cancer patients only seeks medical treatment after reaching Stage III due to fear, shame, lack of social support and ignorance on breast self examination, among others.
This was said by a senior medical officer from the Oncology Section of the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha (Ripas) hospital, Dr Teo Lee Na, in a lecture titled "Breast Cancer in Brunei Darussalam".
"At this stage they only have around 46 per cent survival rate and if untreated sufferer will end up having only 16 per cent survival rate in Stage IV," she said.
"At the final stage it might be too late as the tumour will invade the bones, liver, lymph nodes and other parts of the patient's body."
The officer urged women to perform breast self-examination so that they are aware of the physical appearance of their own breasts. "This examination is crucial for early detection because many women will at least have one breast lump in their lifetime."
But, she added, it doesn't mean it's cancerous as 80 per cent of breast lumps are usually non-cancerous.
"A change in breast size and shape, nipple discharge, changes in their skin texture among others should be notified to the doctors as soon as possible. Since breast cancer after lung cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women, therefore, there is a need to increase public awareness on the disease."
She said women should start breast self examination as early as 18 years of age.
In the lecture, Dr Teo Lee Na informed that the cause of breast cancer is still unknown. "Even though one does not possess the risk factor it will not promise they will not incur this disease as in Brunei itself 50 per cent of breast cancer patients do not initially possess risk factor."
Risk factor includes age and sex, hereditary, and physical activities, among others, which increase the probability of one incurring the disease, for instance, women is 100 times more susceptible to the disease than male. "Though it does not mean men will never incur the disease as currently in Brunei itself five men have been diagnosed with it."
The talk was attended by 177 people from government, private and non-governmental associations like Fire Rescue Department personnel, Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Science College students to name a few.
Held with the purpose of increasing women's awareness on breast cancer and to improve their quality of health, the seminar was part of the activities lined up in celebrating the opening of the Health Promotion Centre.
According to the centre's Health Education Officer Pg Anwar Pg Hj Rambli, a final seminar on environmental health will be held on November 29, 2008.
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