Think
Pink this October
Here we are into the second week of
October and I have neglected my blog. It’s true. The more time you have on your
hands, the less you do.
October is the ‘Pink Month’ – the
month we focus on Breast Cancer Awareness. I know this topic may make you want
to skip this blog, but I listened to an interesting webinar yesterday afternoon
presented by Dr. Johnathan James from Nottingham Breast Institute (UK) made me
sit up and pay attention to a topic we hear about so often. Many women (including
me) may be blasé when it comes to breast cancer and lumps, but this type
of cancer is one of the easiest malignancies to detect, and treated early, it
is often possible to spare women an early and painful death.
The webinar conducted by Doctor
James was about CESM or Contrast-Enhanced Spectral Mammography reading, and consisted
of a variety of case-studies where lump detection by the women was followed-up with
diagnostic tests conducted at the clinic. Most of the women were in the 30 – 50
age group, with a few in their early sixties. Most of the lumps were found in
the left breast, and for the lucky few, their lumps were found to be
non-malignant or simply cysts or an abscess that could be drained. Closer
examination and CESM screening sometimes found sinister, hidden lumps or
additional lesions and a biopsy confirmed their malignancy. While some women
only had the lump removed, others received extensive chemotherapy or had a
total mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.
My maternal grandmother had breast
cancer. She had a mastectomy when she was in her early 60’s. Ouma had given
birth to five daughters and never used contraceptive hormones. She lived a
healthy and vigorous life, ate healthily (she and Oupa owned a poultry farm) and
she hardly ever needed to see a doctor which means, in essence, that she was
low risk. Yet, where did those cancer cells come from and what precautions
should I be taking? What should I be telling my daughters?
Dr. James reminded me to book
another mammogram the next time I go to the hospital. It must be at least two
to three years since my last mammogram. It’s a procedure I don’t particularly
enjoy, depending on the radiographer. Some are kinder and gentler, but there
have been occasions when it feels as though my breasts are being ‘snack-witched’
between those machines, or that woman behind the screen is doing her best to
pop them. Once I cried it was so painful, but that may also have been my Lupus
talking.
It’s always a relief when your test
comes back negative. Remember, you’re more at risk when there is a family
history of breast cancer, if you don’t have children, if you had your first
baby over 35, and if you did not breast-feed. Oestrogen overload from hormonal
contraceptives puts women more at risk, especially if she started these as a
teenager. Girls who start their periods very young (some girls start as young
as nine) and go through menopause after 50 also have extra oestrogen. Before
booking a mammogram, find out from your medical aid what costs are covered. If
you don’t have medical aid or these costs are not covered, you can go to a
government hospital. You may have to wait longer to get an appointment (up to
six months) and you will have to get to the hospital early and wait in a queue,
but it’s worth getting the test done. If you’re taking out a life insurance policy, consider including a dread-disease cover.
