Breast cancer a beast to watch out for
Breast cancer a beast to watch out for
Emmy Fitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The recent headlines on the demise of the Malaysian first
lady, Datin Seri Endon Mahmood, raised breast cancer awareness in
the region.
Endon discovered she had cancer in 2002 following a checkup
after her twin sister Noraini was earlier diagnosed with the
disease. Noraini died in 2003.
A website www.wikinews.org details Endon's four-year struggle
against cancer, including a mastectomy and rounds of chemotherapy
in the United States.
Her devotion to awareness and charity programs was an example
for many. She showed that breast cancer is not something distant.
It can happen to anyone, though women are more likely to develop
cancer than men.
Endon, like so many others, was not diagnosed until
the late stages of the cancer.
A doctor for an insurance company here was diagnosed with
breast cancer. She also found it late and, after surgery, was
told the cancer had spread to other parts of her body. It
attacked her lungs.
Oncologist Sutjipto said "Almost 70 percent of patients coming
to cancer clinics and hospitals are already in the advanced
stages. The earlier it is detected, the better the prognosis."
"Breast cancer is a serious disease. The incidence of breast
cancer is 20 percent higher than other cancerous diseases. In the
U.S. there are 18,000 cases per year, the Netherlands has 91
cases a year per 100,000 women, and here there are 10 cases per
100,000 women."
Breast cancer is ranked as the second biggest killer for women
after cervical cancer here, Sutjipto concluded. About five to 10
percent of cases are hereditary and research is continuing to
look further at the relationship between family history and the
risk of cancer.
"The common health campaign of prevention is better than cure
doesn't fit this disease. The important thing is to detect the
disease as early as possible," he said.
The disease is not something new for the country as the media
and the Internet are replete with information on the disease,
survivors and case studies.
But most of the time the information is taken
in stride without compelling the receiver to act by, for example,
checking their health status or reevaluating their lifestyle.
"Yes, I heard about the campaign launched by the Pitapink
movement. But that's all, we never know what to do, nor where to
go because there is something missing in the breast cancer
awareness campaign," said 25-year-old Ratnasari Dewi, an employee
of a public relations company.
"It's not like the campaign for HIV/AIDS, which has seen the
deep involvement of the media. Somehow, such a campaign must be
held nationwide so people will know, and the message will get
through," she said.
"Moreover, for many people here discussing breasts is taboo.
But this is a health issue and must be a priority for women since
it concerns their quality of life."
Ratnasari suggested private companies encourage their female
employees -- aged 35 and above -- to routinely examine their
breasts.
"Nowadays more and more women are working, and I think it
would also benefit the companies to have healthy employees
because, like it or not, companies must be responsible for paying
for the health insurance of their employees."
Pitapink or the pink ribbon is a symbol for breast cancer
awareness appointed in 1991 by Evelyn H. Lauder, the founder &
president of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and Alexandra
Penney, then-editor of Self Magazine.
In this country, Yayasan Kesehatan Payudara Jakarta (YKPJ)
raises breast cancer awareness through its campaign Gerakan Pita
Pink. Actress Rima Melati, who is herself is breast cancer
survivor, has joined the campaign. The foundation kicked off the
campaign by operating a "mobile mammography" van in some areas of
Jakarta, providing free tests for women.
Swiss-based PT Roche Indonesia also held a month-long pink
ribbon campaign.
Besides distributing pink ribbons, it also circulated reminder
notes: "wear the ribbon to show your support and share
information about breast cancer."
The small pink brochures also mentioned the fact that one in
four people with breast cancer has HER2+ status. "Ask for a HER2
test if you are diagnosed as having breast cancer, for the right
treatment."
What is HER2?
It is an acronym for Human Epidermal growth Receptor 2, a
protein found on the surface of cells that plays a key role in
regulating cell growth. When the HER2 gene is altered, extra HER2
proteins may be produced. The overly produced protein may result
in aggressive tumor cells, according to a website
www.biology.iupui.edu.
If the status of HER2 is known, treatment then usually aims at
slowing the growth of the cell with excessively produced HER2
protein.
While waiting for other breakthroughs in cancer treatment, it
is wise for people at risk to recheck their status. Again, for
this disease prevention does not help, it is early detection that
saves.
10 most fatal cancers in Indonesia:
1. Cervical
2. Breast
3. Lymphoma
4. Aesophagus
5. Sarcoma
6. Ovarian cancer
7. Aneurysm
8. Colon
9. Lung
10.Soft tissue
Source : Sutjipto