Pink Awareness: Risk of Breast Cancer not only for Women

By Kiew Poh Shian
Photos by Kiew Poh Shian

KAMPAR:Around 100 Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman students attended the talk organized by the FLAME group by public relation Year 3 student. Being true to their name, For Lives Are Meaningful and Exciting, their campaign debuted with a series of activities aimed at promoting healthy and conscious lifestyle.

The breast cancer talk started at 1pm until 2pm at DDK 5 lecture hall. Breast cancer is quite a dangerous disease in Malaysia. The most frequent cancer during this period in Malaysians is breast cancer (18 per cent) followed by large bowel cancer (11.9 per cent) and lung cancer (7.4 per cent). The breast cancer, especially dangerous to women, was the third killing disease in Malaysia after heart disease attack.

We know that there is no 100% cure for breast cancer because it does not have medication to really eliminate this kind of disease except stabilitising the condition.
Nowadays, young women as young as 24 years olds were found with breast cancer. This is comparatively higher than the last few years.

“My patients are younger than before,” said Hospital Pantai Ipoh Consultant General Surgeon Dr. S. Sumithra.

Dr. S .Sumithra

Consultant General Surgeon Dr. S .Sumithra comes from Hospital Pantai Ipoh to give the breast cancer talk in November 10 at 1 pm.

“Most of potential breast cancer women in Malaysia would have a lump in the breast. The lump is usually painless, grows slowly and may alter the contour or size of the breast.

“The lymph gland in the armpit will be swollen if affected by the cancer cells. In late stages, the growth may ulcerate through the skin and become infected,” she explained.

It is not only in female can get the breast cancer, but male also have a chance to get the breast cancer, however the rate of getting breast cancer is low than female.

Cancer is curable if detected early. Cure rates for Stage I and II cases may be as high as 80 per cent and above. For Stage III disease the percentage of cure is much lower but for Stage IV disease the aim of the treatment is palliative (control of symptoms), said Dr. S. Sumithra.

Dr. S. Sumithra advised patient who not feeling well should visit the doctor. Don’t be fearful and get treatment as soon as possible especially at the early stage.

“Don’t be shame, quiet and escape from this disease, in early detection we will use the radiotherapy and high doses of radiation to kill cancer cells,” she said.

“Finally, third leave maybe need to cut breast and put the new breast. If the patient gets late treatment, the risk of operation will be higher and cause danger to patients’ life. By that time, doctors would have to cut your breast to prevent tumor from spreading to the other organs in your body,” she added on.

Dr. S. Sumithra demonstrated how to check breasts by using fake model while emphasizing that “each person has to check your breast a least one time in a month.”
Step for teach the peoples to check breast: