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| 2008 News Articles & Reports |
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Self-exams help in early detection, say S’pore docs
By Diana Othman
The Straits Times
17 July 2008
World, Page 16
DOCTORS in Singapore say women should still examine their breasts regularly for early detection of cancer.
Dr Yong Wei Sean a senior consultant at the National Can cer Centre’s department of surgical oncology, has said that up to 10 to 20 per cent of women who detect lumps in their breasts do turn out to have can cer.
“If women do not conduct such self-examinations, then cancer could be missed. The cancer might develop into its later stages and treatment could be administered too late.”
Dr Lim Siew Eng, a senior consultant at the National Uni versity Hospital’s department of haematology-oncology, said it is important for women to be aware of changes to the breast which could be a sign of cancer.
“Breast examination could also supplement screening mammograms which may occasion ally miss palpable breast can cers in about 10 per cent of cases.” she pointed out.
Dr Yong added that a recent review of two studies on breast self-examination, which cov ered 380,000 women in China and Russia may not totally re flect the situation in Singapore. “ The incidence of breast cancer is unfortunately higher in Singapore than in China and it is in fact the highest in Asia.”
Health Ministry guidelines issued in 2003 say that while breast self-examination does not have any survival benefits, it is generally recommended as it is considered to improve women’s awareness of their own breasts and breast cancer.
As for the recent review’s claim that breast self-examinations increased the number of biopsies, Associate Professor Hong Ga Sze from the KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital’s Breast Centre agreed that too many breast biopsies are be ing done and this could be a “pa tient-driven outcome”.
“Patients, and quite a lot of doctors, believe that all breast lumps need to be removed. This is not true. Public education needs to include this learn ing point,” he said.
According to the National Cancer Centre, breast cancer is the top cancer affecting women in Singapore. More than 6,400 cases were detected from 2001 to 2005. |
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