Dehradun, October 13, 2021: Max Super Speciality Hospital, Dehradun today organised an awareness talk/ event for
women to commemorate the breast cancer awareness month. It organised a series of events and activities to motivate women by creating awareness about the prevalence of breast cancer among the female population. A breast cancer screening package was also launched which will offer 50% discount on mammography, breast ultrasound and pap smear along with consultation. Any women can avail this package which is valid for a month.
October being the breast cancer awareness month, a team of experts from Max Hospital took to highlighting how women in India are increasingly reeling under the burden of breast cancer. The breast cancer screening package was inaugurated by Dr. (Prof.) Alaknanda Garg. Also present at the occasion were Dr Runu Sharma, Associate Consultant, Medical Oncology; Dr Manisa Pattanayak, Principal Consultant-Surgical Oncology.
Women are an integral part of the community, but their health is still not a priority. Max Hospital, therefore, took this step to increase awareness among women of all age brackets so that prevention and detection of breast cancers can be done in the earlier stages. Women need to be aware of early warning signs such as lumps or abnormal discharge from the breasts etc. Annual health check-ups and age-specific breast cancer screening can detect problems at a pre-cancer or early stageitself which can prove to be a lifesaver.
Dr Runu Sharma said, “Worldwide 1 in every 8 women suffer from breast cancer. In countries like India where there is
scarcity of comprehensive cancer centres and no robust screening programs, more than half of these cancers are detected at a later or advanced stage. Screening mammography has been the best imaging tool to detect cancers at an early stage. We try to motivate every female above the age of 45 to undergo screening mammogram and Pap smear tests.” Dr Manisa Pattanayak added, “Breast cancer is still a stigma in Indian society, and women suffering breast cancer do not speak about it.
The attitude towards breast cancer in our society has made cancer patients invisible, preventing open discussion and creating a vicious cycle of fear and misinformation for the masses. This is what is hindering attempts to raise awareness about avoidable breast cancer risks and the importance of early detection. Also, most of the cases in our country are diagnosed very late. According to World Health Organization’s statistics, more than 60% of the women are diagnosed with breast cancer at advance stages in India. This drastically affects the survival rate and treatment options for the patient. We have observed an increase in number of breast cancer cases in our hospital at present almost 40 % of our newly diagnosed cancer patients have breast cancer.” The Department of Oncology at Max Hospital, Dehradun has access to the latest technologies and equipment in the field of cancer care. Cancer patients can undergo various medical and surgical therapies and treatments at the hospital.
Max Super Speciality Hospital, Dehradun being a leading tertiary care hospital also offers plastic, micro vascular and reconstructive surgery for cancer patients. The team of specialists follows the latest treatment protocols that are available in the world including latest surgeries and chemotherapy protocols for cancer treatment. Max Super Speciality Hospital, Dehradun also has a cancer tumour board with multidisciplinary clinics. The board consistsof surgical oncologists, medical oncologists, pathologists and radiologists offering access to diverse, up-to-date and bias-free opinions with improved clinical outcomes for better patient satisfaction.
