Jaipur|HL
Women above 30 years at a higher risk of developing breast cancer, the health department will launch a programme for screening them for early detection soon. Taking a step further in fight against cancer, women visiting district hospitals will be screened for breast cancer in across the state.
“Even if a woman (above 30 years) is visiting a district hospital for taking consultation from her ENT doctor or ophthalmologist, she will be screened for breast cancer. It takes two minutes for screening. The staff at district hospital will encourage the women to opt for screening,” said Dr Ashutosh Garg, nodal officer, cancer care at district hospitals programme.
It is difficult to recognise cancerous cell in early as they are quite small. But, when they combined to form a lump, it can be felt during screening. The cancerous cells kept multiplying forming lump. However, all lumps are not malignant.
“If a lump is shown in the breast in screening, the patient will be referred to other tests including sonography for ascertaining that the lump is benign or malignant. Most of the times, lumps are benign but if it is malignant, we will refer them for expert doctors,” said Dr Garg.
In each district hospital, the health department has trained two female nursing staff for conducting screening of females for breast cancer coming to their hospitals. These two female nursing staff will conduct clinical breast examination (CBE) of above 30 women coming to district hospitals. The CBE will not require any out of pocket expenses.
According to the World Health Organisation, breast cancer is the top cancer in women both in the developed and the developing world. The incidence of breast cancer is increasing in the developing world due to increase life expectancy, increase urbanization and adoption of western lifestyles.
Expressing concern over delayed detection of cancer, health minister Kalicharan Saraf on Sunday said that eighty percent of cancer cases are detected with the disease in advance stage, he said, on the conclusion of two-day workshop held on cancer care organised by the health department in the city. He said that efforts are being made to spread awareness on cancer and also for early detection of cancer.
